Updates on the Teacher Verification Model: A New Pathway to Distance Learning

The Teacher Verification Model (TVM) was launched in March 2021 as a new option for Minnesota ABE teachers and programs to count proxy hours for asynchronous lessons that have been verified by a TVM certified teacher. Over 70 MN adult educators have now completed TVM certification and others are in process. Read on to learn about the basics of TVM and how you can become TVM certified!

Why TVM?

Teachers have been developing and delivering innovative distance lessons for a long time, and we’re excited to finally be able to provide this new opportunity for recognizing their work. TVM certified teachers are able to collect proxy hours for instruction and learning activities that are asynchronous, but are not part of an approved DL platform or course, such as:

• Out-of-class assignments that support or extend synchronous class activities (e.g., for blended, hybrid, or “flipped classroom” instructional models)
• Teacher-created video lessons and online activities for independent learning and practice
• Lessons delivered through paper packets

Prior to the TVM pathway, there were two options for programs to collect proxy hours: Approved DL platforms and Teacher-created online courses. This flowchart illustrates the three options for proxy hours ABE programs now have.

TVM Certification

There are several steps necessary to becoming a TVM certified teacher:

TVM Lessons

When you’re a TVM Certified teacher, you can develop TVM lessons and materials and assign them to your learners. You’ll submit details about each of your TVM lessons to the DL Team through the (short and easy!) TVM Lesson Checklist and Submission Form. You’ll verify your learners’ completion of the lessons and provide feedback. Then you’ll document lesson completion using a new TVM Lesson Log available on every class Summary page in SID and record learners’ proxy hours for the lessons in SID.

What counts as a TVM lesson?

There are many possibilities! TVM Certified teachers will develop lessons to fit their learners and teaching context. TVM lessons should include some element of instruction, practice, and assessment. Alternatively, TVM lessons can be part of a larger unit of instruction which includes all of these elements. They can be digital or physical, or a combination of both. What asynchronous instruction and activities are you already offering that might fit in the Teacher Verification Model?

Learn more and get TVM certified!

For answers to all your TVM process questions and more, you are invited to enroll in the new Distance and Blended Learning Basics for Minnesota Adult Education online course. If you don’t yet have a Literacy MN professional development account, click on the Continue button and you will be prompted to create a new account. For an overview of TVM, check out the TVM session recording from the March 2021 Un-Regional Conference on the MN ABE Professional Development YouTube channel (http://tinyurl.com/mnabepd).

TVM for Managers

Are you a manager who is interested in learning more about TVM and considering implications for your program? Join the Minnesota TVM Team for a webinar on Wednesday, June 23 at 2:00 for an overview of the key components and requirements of the Minnesota Teacher Verification Model.

You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and participate in a facilitated discussion with other managers regarding TVM implementation considerations.  In order to fully participate in the webinar, participants should read Modules 5 and 6 in the Distance and Blended Learning Basics for Adult Education online course prior to the webinar and review a selection of TVM lessons created by any of their TVM certified staff. (Note: This webinar is NOT a TVM Certification Webinar.)

Originally published 6/7/21