Cast Your Nets, Wanderers! The Pursuit of Blended and Distance Learning

Session 4: 4:00pm-5:00pm (Friday March 07, 2025)

 

Description

In the Issac Asimov short science-fiction story, "The Fun They Had", the narrator of the story bemoaned the passing of traditional classroom education. Asimov speculated on a future where the soul of learning has been taken from children, and thus society as a whole. Asimov’s prognostication was put to the test during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place mandates; the results were staggeringly dismal. However, the value of distance and blended learning offerings has been a boon to adult learners. Unfettered by childcare, transportation and work conflicts, adults have been able to access quality education with similar rigor and validity to in-person courses. This report is a first-person account of a years-long effort to establish a successfully self-perpetuating course for distance and blended learning delivery models. This report will discuss the successes, challenges, and recommendations based on efforts to launch distance and HyFlex courses in ESL, ABE, and ASE at Salinas Adult School.

Presenters

Lead Presenter Bio Photo

Robert Gomez

Salinas Adult School, Salinas, CA

Mr. Gomez is an ASE Teacher at Salinas Adult School (SAS). He is also an avid gamer and avidly Autistic. In his 10 years at SAS, he has also taught ESL, Computer Literacy, and ABE. He also serves as a Canvas Lead and Technology Lead. Gomez also participates in Salinas Valley Adult Education Consortium activities. He is currently writing his experiences in blended and distance learning into a publishable report as well pursuing a Google IT Certificate.

Type of Presentation

Demonstration (60 Minutes)

Audience

  • Teachers
  • Administrators

Program Strands

  • Adult Basic Education
  • Adult Secondary Education
  • English as a Second Language

Category Strands

  • Digital Learning Models