BEdA Handbook
2024 Track F: BEdA on the Guided Pathway

This session aims to show the pivotal role Basic Education for Adults (BEdA) programs play within the framework of Guided Pathways, with a specific focus on Tacoma Community College's journey. Participants will gain insights into the evolution of Guided Pathways, understand how BEdA intersects with this approach, and explore practical examples of how advising models, self-placement strategies, and support courses have been adapted to enhance student success at TCC within this framework.

Outcomes:

1. Gain a comprehensive understanding of Guided Pathways and its significance in modern higher education contexts.
2. Trace the historical development of Guided Pathways at Tacoma Community College, highlighting key milestones and strategies.
3. Learn about the goals of Guided Pathways and how they relate to BEdA Explore real-world examples of revised advising models, college success courses, and self-placement approaches within the context of Guided Pathways implementation.
4. Analyze the role of College Success courses in supporting adult learners within the Guided Pathways model, emphasizing their effectiveness in fostering student achievement and retention.
5. Discuss best practices and potential challenges in integrating BEdA programs into the broader Guided Pathways framework, fostering dialogue and collaboration among BFET and BEdA staff.
6. Discuss how to help adult learners translate their life experiences into demonstrable classroom skills.

Session Materials

• Integrating BEdA into Guided Pathways

As we aim to build our Transitional Studies programs back up after the pandemic, how can we do so in a way that weaves in layers of student support? How can we work together to reduce ongoing barriers that stand in the way of student completion?

This session will consist of two parts. Part one will be a 30-minute presentation from Enrollment Specialist Michele Scouten of Peninsula College. The presentation will cover recent updates and expansion of our Transitional Studies program, focusing on how the new Enrollment Specialist position has strengthened student support through a revised orientation, one-on-one meetings, a college-ready workshop, regular check-ins, and other intentional supports.

Part two of this session is dedicated to discussing some of the ongoing challenges of the HS+ program. There will be time to share in small groups and as a whole how colleges are tackling challenges such as prior learning, determining competency, offering alternative math courses, and handling world language credit among others. This will be a time of open sharing and learning, so attendees will have some fresh ideas to walk away with.

While this presentation may be informative for anyone in Transitional Studies, it will likely be most useful for student support staff and others who directly engage with HS+ students as well as those who evaluate high school transcripts for incoming HS+ students.

Outcomes:

• Share ongoing challenges and successes of Peninsula College’s Transitional Studies program with the intent of helping other colleges grow their programs and improve student support.
• Facilitate an open, informative discussion among BEdA staff and faculty to identify ongoing challenges and offer shared solutions.

Session Materials

• Creating Intentional Support
• Prior Learning Reference Sheet

In this session, participants will explore the integration of Adult Education with college systems           including the Guided Pathways framework and how this partnership can help bridge gaps and provide         improved support for adult students on their educational journeys. Attendees will learn about strategies implemented at Austin Community College to align curriculum, augment support services, and develop career pathways to create improved educational outcomes for our students. (virtual)

Are you looking for content that is contextualized, flipped, OER, and includes digital skills along with language instruction? If so (or now you are after reading that!), join us for an introduction and overview of the new BEdA Bridge Modules. Designed for higher level ESL and ABE students, these modules target necessary skills for academic and professional success. Faculty and any administrators who help to source curriculum will leave with new units, lessons and/or activities ready for immediate implementation in your classes.

Outcomes:

• Understand the framework of the BEdA Bridge Modules.
• Describe the resources available to both students and instructors.
• Locate specific materials in both the online and face-to-face resources.
• Distinguish how all of or parts of this curriculum can be implemented in your classes.

Session Materials

• BEdA Bridge Modules:  Helping Higher Level Students to the Next Steps
• Accessing Bridge Modules
• Bridge Modules Activity
• Bridge Modules Overview