MN ABE Connect Archive

Recent Newsletter Articles

Adult Career Pathways for Beginning and Intermediate Levels: A Place to Start

Adult Career Pathways for Beginning and Intermediate Levels: A Place to Start

How can Adult Education programs develop career pathway classes for students at the beginning or intermediate level? Two effective strategies include contextualizing instruction and fostering an organizational culture focused on career pathways. Ready to get started? Read More

Adult Education Partners with Minnesota State Campuses to Serve Academically Underprepared Students

Adult Education Partners with Minnesota State Campuses to Serve Academically Underprepared Students

Developing and advancing effective college and ABE co-requisite classroom partnerships is the business of ABE and Minn State educators working together through periodic Affinity Group (AG) meetings. Learn about recent AG discussions, including updates on the shift to a co-req format and spotlights on several college/ABE partnerships in Minnesota. Read More

Google Sheets for Data Analysis – Part 1

Google Sheets for Data Analysis – Part 1

Google Sheets is an incredibly powerful spreadsheet software that you can leverage to do data analysis for you. (Don't worry, if you're a Microsoft team, almost everything I'm explaining here can be done in Excel, too.) In this article, we look at Filters and Functions in Google Sheets. Read More

Don’t Throw Away Your Old Laptops! ChromeOS Flex Can Breathe New Life into Failing Devices

Don’t Throw Away Your Old Laptops! ChromeOS Flex Can Breathe New Life into Failing Devices

In 2022 Google released ChromeOS Flex, a light operating system free to install on older devices (PCs or Macs). Laptops that are extremely slow or too old to update can be converted to ChromeOS Flex to help them run smoothly again – an excellent way to create a no-cost loaner device for students while also creatively upcycling old devices. Read More

Congrats to these ACES/TIF Foundation Course Completers!

Congrats to these ACES/TIF Foundation Course Completers!

The ACES/TIF Foundations course is designed to provide a thorough introduction on how to integrate academic, career, and employability skills (ACES) into your instructional context through the use of the Transitions Integration Framework (TIF). Seven Minnesota educators have completed the course in Canvas this school year and earned 6 CEUs – give them a round of applause, and consider joining them! Read More

Digital Equity Act Update: What Does It Mean for MN Adult Education?

Digital Equity Act Update: What Does It Mean for MN Adult Education?

$12 million in Digital Equity Act funds will be coming to Minnesota starting in 2025. Is your adult education program ready to apply and make use of these funds? Read More

Overcoming Tech Barriers in Volunteer Training: A Creative Solution

Overcoming Tech Barriers in Volunteer Training: A Creative Solution

Are technology requirements creating obstacles for some volunteers in your program? Valerie Britt, Volunteer Coordinator at Hawthorne Education Center in Rochester, found a solution: group asynchronous training! Read More

Breaking Barriers: The Unexpected Benefits of a Discussion-Based ESL Class

Breaking Barriers: The Unexpected Benefits of a Discussion-Based ESL Class

An Advanced ESL discussion class at Metro North in Blaine began as a way to help adult learners strengthen their academic English skills but evolved into something much more meaningful. The experience fostered empathy, challenged stereotypes, and demonstrated the power of conversation in bringing people together. Read More

Transitions 101 in 90 Minutes or Less

Transitions 101 in 90 Minutes or Less

Are you short on time but want to learn the basics of Transitions in Adult Education? This webinar recording is for you! Read More

Snowplows for Digital Literacy!

Snowplows for Digital Literacy!

If you could use a good laugh right about now, check out MnDOT's Name a Snowplow Contest through this Friday, February 7. Even better, use this website as a fun opportunity to practice digital literacy skills with learners! Read More