COABE conference includes workplace education focus

YOU ASKED FOR IT. In April, 2009 you will get it. Participants at Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) national conferences in recent years have requested more emphasis on workplace education. COABE’s 2009 annual conference—to be held in Louisville, Kentucky, April 18-22, 2009—will have an entire strand devoted to workplace education as well as a workplace education pre-conference session.

“Evaluations from the past few years have shown a desire for more emphasis on workplace education,” says Tonya Crum, director of workforce development and training at KET and a member of the COABE planning committee. “We heard the same comments on the NIFL workplace education listserv. In the past there has not been a cohesive effort to have sessions specifically addressing workplace education, so this year we are making sure that workplace education is well represented at the conference.“

Crum says conference topics will include work-related language and literacy development for English language learners, best practices with business/labor/education partnerships, accountability regarding NRS measures, return on investment, and state and national policy.

A full-day pre-conference session, tentatively entitled “Workplace Education: The Workhorse of the Literacy Race,” will contemplate how enhancing the literacy skills of workers and potential workers benefits both workers and employers.

“Participants will leave with a better understanding of how educators and employers can work together, how to assess return on investment, the historical perspective of workforce education, a legislative update, a connection of policy to practice, best practices in the field, and the contacts and resources you need to continue networking post-conference,” Crum says.

Presenters are Donna Brian and members of the Workplace Literacy Discussion List. The session is sponsored by the Center for Literacy Studies at The University of Tennessee.

The overall theme for the 2009 annual conference is “Winners’ Circle of Learning Champions.” This year’s conference will feature sessions by representatives of the National Institute for Literacy, the National College Transition Network, AALPD, the Adult Numeracy Network, the Center for Applied Linguistics, ProLiteracy USA, the GED Testing Service, the Adult Literacy and Technology Network, NAASLN (National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs), and many, many more, according to Art Dietz, Adult Basic Education specialist serving on this year’s conference committee.

Fun won’t be in short supply either, Dietz says. Opening night occurs as Thunder Over Louisville lights up the skies with fireworks and an air show. After more than a decade, the show remains the largest annual pyrotechnic display in North America. Since COABE is being held at the Galt House in downtown Louisville, participants will have a perfect position to watch the show and won’t even have to fight the traffic to get there.

Dietz says there will also be special events at the Kentucky Derby Museum and the Muhammad Ali Center. Both are premiere designations in themselves. For more information on these go to www.derbymuseum.org and www.alicenter.org.

For those new to the profession, COABE is an international organization designed to advance national and international adult education and literacy opportunities for all. COABE actively promotes adult education and literacy programs, provides leadership to advance the education of adults, advocates the development and dissemination of research about adult education and literacy through its publication ABEL Journal, co-published by COABE and ProLiteracy USA, and conducts professional development conferences and activities.

The 2009 annual COABE conference is co-sponsored by the Kentucky Association for Adult and Continuing Education.