Welcome to Adult Education
Help & FAQS
- Online Learning Tips – general suggestions for independent study using this course
- Completing Course Modules – overview of typical steps in completing a module
- Customizing this Course – ways to use this course to best fit your learning needs
- Troubleshooting – technical advice for common computer issues in using this course site
- FAQS – Answers to other common questions, such as:
- Navigation - getting aound in the course
- Worksheets - how and when to use course tools
- Icons, Quotes, and Instructor Ideas - meanings and sources
Online Learning Tips
Adjust your approach to fit your learning style, your training needs, and the time you have available. For example, you might choose to:
- devote a full day to one module of training.
- work on the course, topic by topic, over several days or weeks.
- pick out only the information that is relevant at the moment for your program and for your learners.
- skip over parts that don’t interest you.
- read sections in a different order.
- read parts slowly, deeply, and thoughtfully, or skim the text quickly to get the general gist of the content.
- search for lesson and instructional ideas to address a current issue or problem you are facing.
Don’t think you have to read every word. On occasion, one topic or web link will appear to have content that is quite similar to another. That’s because, in some cases, both documents were important enough to include in their entirety despite an overlap of ideas. In other cases, the same material is important for multiple modules or topics, and we wished to make it easily available in each course section. If you come across information that seems repetitive, simply skim over the material until you come to the parts that are more interesting and relevant for your current study.
Tools for self-reflection are available in each module. Using the pre- and post-surveys and setting goals and recording your reflections on the worksheets will add more depth to your study and reinforce your learning. Written reflection does not suit everyone’s learning style, however, and use of these tools may not meet your needs or time limitations. You do not have to use these self-reflection tools to meet your training needs, but they are available for your use.
If you are looking for specific information or training in some topic area, use the outline in each module to quickly scan for your topic of interest. You may also review the course pre-survey or the module pre-surveys to look for your specific issue.
Adapted from LBS Practitioner Training - Training Tips.
Suggested Steps for Completing Course Modules:
The steps below outline one typical way to approach the course material. You are not required to follow all of these steps in this order.
- Click on the module tab.
- Review the module outline to the left.
- Click on the worksheet (print or save).
- Complete the module pre-survey.
- Read course materials in the main portion of the web page.
- Click on links to view additional materials or definitions of key words.
- Make notes on the worksheet as instructed.
- Investigate links for further study (or make a note to return to this topic later).
- Use the back and next links to move from topic to topic in the module.
- Complete the post-course survey.
- Complete review activities as instructed.
Suggested Steps for Customizing this Course:
The steps below demonstrate some options for customizing the course material to fit your needs. You are not required to follow all these steps in this order.
Customizing via Self-assessment:
- Complete the pre-course survey.
- Based on the pre-course survey, determine the modules you wish to study.
- Click on the tab for the first module you wish to study.
- Complete the pre-survey for that module (click on Introduction in the Outline).
- Based on the module pre-survey, determine the topics you wish to study.
- Using the outline in the left-hand column, jump to the topics that interest you.
- Read or skim the material on this topic.
- Click on the worksheet to record your reflections (linked at the bottom of the Outline).
- Continue to use the outline to jump to topics indicated on your pre-survey.
- Print or save your worksheet before leaving the course.
- Return to the course at a later time, choosing module and topics that suit your needs and repeat the process.
Customizing via Browsing:
- Choose a module title that appeals to you.
- Review the outline for the module in the left-hand column.
- In the outline list, click on the first topic that interests you.
- Read or skim the material on this topic.
- Click on the worksheet to record your reflections (at the bottom of the outline).
- Continue to use the outline to skip to material on topics of interest.
- Print or save your worksheet before leaving the course.
- Return to the course at a later time, choosing module and topics that suit your needs and repeat the process.
For More Experienced Instructors:
- Choose a module title that appeals to you.
- Review the outline for the module in the left column.
- In the outline list, click on the first topic that interests you.
- Read or skim the material on this topic.
- For more in-depth information, click on the resources listed in the right "For Further Study" sections of the modules.
Troubleshooting
Every effort has been made to make the pages in this course accessible for most computers and adult education practitioners. If you encounter any technical difficulties, please review the troubleshooting tips below. Consult your usual technical support staff if you still need assistance. Please contact us if you find any errors or broken links on the site.
Turn Off Pop-Up Blocking for this Course Web Site:
This site makes regular use of pop-up windows. Be sure you have disabled pop-up blocking for this site. For Internet Explorer, these two web links can assist in this process:
Enable Java Applets or Scripting:
Several items on this site use simple java scripting to show you definitions or graphics. Most current web browsers already have this type of simple java scripting enabled. If you aren’t able to see any definitions for key words in the course, consider enabling or updating java scripting. For Internet Explorer, these two web links can assist in this process:
- Enable Java Runtime Environment
- Download Java (click on the words Download Now)
Install or Update Adobe Acrobat Reader:
Several links in this course open Adobe Acrobat (or pdf) files. If clicking on a link opens an empty web page, or you get an error from Adobe Acrobat Reader, you may need to install or update Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Run Windows or Macintosh Updates:
If your computer is very old, you may need to update your operating system or Internet browser in order to access course features or linked web pages. Try the following links:
Accessibility issues
This course is WC3 accessibility compliant to meet the needs of practitioners with disabilities. Please contact us if you have a disability that prevents you from accessing material on this site.
[Return to help menu]
FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)
Navigation
How do I get back to this help screen from in a module?
On every module page there is a large help button in the top right corner of the page. In addition, there is a little gray bar below the banner on the right side.
[
]
This gray bar is also at the bottom of every module page. Click on the question mark in the middle of the bar to get to the Help FAQS page.
From a module, how do I get back to the main page with the post-course survey and the module tabs?
On every module page there is a little house icon [] below the banner on the right side. This icon is also at the bottom of every module page. Click on it to get back to the home page (main page).
When I’m in a module, how do I get to a different module?
The large numbers 1-5 on the left above the outline represent each of the five modules. If you move your mouse cursor over the number, the name of the module will pop up. Click on the number or words to move to a different module.
Worksheets
Where did my worksheet go when I saved it?
Worksheets are always saved on a drive of the computer on which you were working. When you save your worksheet, you always have the option to change where it is saved. If you didn’t notice the location where your worksheet was saved, you may have to search for it. If you are working in Internet Explorer on a Windows-based system, your worksheet is likely in your “My Documents” folder. On other systems, use the search tool to look for a file named m1_worksheet.rtf (or m2_worksheet, etc. depending on which module you were working on).
I'm not finding the worksheets helpful - do I have to do the worksheets?
Worksheets are completely optional. They are designed as a reflective tool to assist you in organizing your thoughts and reflections on the course material. You may answer all, some, or none of the questions on a worksheet as best suits your needs.
Icons, Quotes, and Ideas from Instructors
What do the little pictures in front of the quotes mean?
The pictures/icons in front of quotes indicate the type of speaker:
An apple indicates a quote from an instructor.
A diploma indicates a quote from an adult learner.
A flag indicates a quote from a government document.
A tie indicates a quote from an employer.
What are the meanings of the other graphics used in the course?
Here is a list of the other graphics used within the course and their meanings:
The clock appears beside information on completion time for course modules.
The clipboard appears beside pre- and post-surveys in the course.
The pad and pen indicates opportunities to note your reflections on a worksheet.
The navigation bar provides links to, in order, the previous page in a module, the help screen for the course, the next page in the module, and the home page for the course.
Where do the quotes & instructor ideas come from?
Why aren't all the quotes or instructor ideas attributed to a specific person?
Almost all quotes in this course are from instructors who wished to remain anonymous. These anonymous quotes come from research documents, video transcripts, or other publications either under copyright to the Center for Literacy Studies at the University of Tennessee, or items the Center has written permission to reprint for educational purposes. If a quote came from a non-anonymous source/speaker, the sources was specifically named and cited.
Why do some of the quotes and instructor ideas have poor grammar or sentence structure?
Many of these quotes are from video or audio transcripts, and thus represent a person's common mode of speech as opposed to a more formal written communication. In the case of student quotes, written quotes may reflect their level of learning. In some cases, we only have permission to use the quote in the exact format in which it appears. To comply with copyright law, and out of respect for the speaker or writer, we have chosen to use their exact words, making changes only where it would clarify understanding.