PRINTER FRIENDLY PAGE

The Literacy Center at Ohio University which includes the Central/Southeast ABLE Resource Center (an Americorps program of volunteers who tutor children in schools), Appalachia Reads, and America Reads, was faced with a challenge: how to cost-effectively provide comprehensive tutor training to a large number of small programs that are geographically scattered throughout southeastern Ohio. Traditionally, training consisted of an 18-hour face-to-face program that required travel to specified sites, an arrangement that was time consuming and expensive. In addition, because most literacy programs require tutors and instructors to be certified, the Literacy Center received many requests to provide comprehensive tutor training throughout the year.

Jeff Fantine, director of The Literacy Center, recently solved this problem using technology to deliver training across The Literacy Center&rsqou;s service area. "We decided to use Thinkfinity Literacy Network (LiteracyNetwork) online courses in combination with a six-hour video-conferencing workshop broadcast to each of the four regional campuses where tutors and instructors can actively participate. "It is a cost-effective solution to providing tutor training in a large rural region of our state," states Fantine.

Prior to the video-conference workshop, each participant is required to complete 10 hours of courses through Thinkfinity. The required courses are "Orientation to Volunteering in Literacy," "Principles of Adult Learning," and "Graphic Organizers: Tools for Instructors and Students."

During the workshop, participants review the courses and learn the basics of goal setting, lesson planning, and learning disabilities. Depending on the audience, training in English-language learning, adult learning, and families and children is also included. After the workshop, each participant is required to complete 6 hours of elective Thinkfinity Literacy Network courses. Once participants complete the 22 hours of tutor training, they receive their certification. Julia Riffle, a literacy tutor who participated in the combined face-to-face workshop/LiteracyNetwork courses states, "I believe I learned more in this course and through the Verizon Thinkfinity online courses than I did in my educational program courses attended at a university!"

"We have now offered this training approach twice through Ohio University, and training evaluations are positive with regard to both content and convenience," Fantine reports. "Approximately 60 literacy instructors from the various literacy programs in southeastern Ohio, including volunteer-based community programs, Even Start centers, faith-based programs, community college adult education programs, and a large Americorps contingent, have been involved in this training." The Literacy Center will continue to offer this training next year on a quarterly basis.

Fantine states, "Without LiteracyNetwork, we would never have been able to provide this type of tutor training to so many in a cost-effective way," and looks forward to serving additional programs in Ohio.