Weblog: Press
GED® On Demand featured in KET's Adult Learning Quarterly
The January 2008 issue of Kentucky Educational Television's (KET) Adult Learning Quarterly features an article on the uses of Video on Demand and streaming technologies in the field of adult education. The article includes comments by the VALRC's Instructional Technology Specialist, Richard Sebastian, and makes extensive mention of Virginia's GED On Demand and streaming video projects.
To download the pdf file of this issue of the ALQ, click on the link below: http://valrc.org/publications/pdf/ALQ_Jan08.pdf
Or you can access the downloads page of KET's Adult Education site: http://www.ketadultlearning.org/htms/downloads.htm
GED ON DEMAND Publicity
"The medium of on-demand cable television is expected to make televised GED programming much more attractive to its potential audience ... With all the episodes available over digital cable with a few clicks of a remote control, adult learners can pick up where they left off in the series, or watch only the shows they need." Read more in this article from the Employment & Training Reporter.
GED ON DEMAND, a partnership between the Commonwealth of Virginia, Comcast Cable, Cox Communications, the Virginia Department of Education's Office of Adult Education & Literacy, and the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, integrates the 39 GED Connection videos, produced by KET-TV, into the "ON DEMAND" programming that Cox and Comcast offer free to their digital cable customers.
GED Connection streaming videos
Adult learners in Virginia can now access all of the GED Connection programs anytime from an Internet-connected computer. All 39 episodes are now being "streamed" online from the eLEARN Virginia website in 3 video formats--Windows Media, Flash, and Quicktime--for both low speed and high speed computer connections.
The 39 instructional programs, produced by KET-TV, cover the subjects and skills students need to pass the GED tests. With the programs now available online, learners will be able to receive quality GED preparation at times that fit their schedules.
You don't need to be enrolled in eLEARN Virginia to access these online programs, but you do need to be a resident of Virginia and have a valid username and password. To receive your username and password and begin watching, please call 1-877-37-MY-GED (1-877-376-9433) or send an email request to richard@elearnva.com
GED Connection ON DEMAND
Virginians who subscribe to either Comcast or Cox Digital Cable can now watch any of the GED Connection episodes from the comfort of their home any time they want. This initiative, a partnership between the Commonwealth of Virginia, Comcast and Cox Communications, the Virginia Department of Education's Office of Adult Education & Literacy, and the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, integrates the GED Connection videos into the "ON DEMAND" programming that Cox and Comcast offer free to their digital cable customers.
The 39 instructional programs, produced by KET-TV, cover the subjects and skills students need to pass the GED tests. With GED Connection ON DEMAND, learners will be able to receive quality GED preparation at times that fit their schedules, alleviating the needs for transportation and child care.
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The second phase of statewide Race to GED outreach relies on the Success Story motif. Click here to read a feature story from The Warren Sentinel about Sonny Alicie, who appears in the GED Success Story Calendar. Sonny Alicie, a Vietnam veteran and retired law officer, dropped out of high school to care for a sick grandfather and earned his GED while in the military. We encourage you to save Sonny's story as an example of GED Success Story media coverage and to consider pitching similar stories to your local papers.
New Race to GED Outreach Website
Celebrate Virginia's GED success stories -- and inspire your current and potential students to "Be the Next" GED success! OAEL has unveiled a new Race to GED outreach website to promote the Success Story theme. Download GED Success Story calendar, brochure, and bookmark designs, and watch the four 30-second television spots at: http://www.vdoe.vi.virginia.gov/instruction/adulted/equivalency/outreach/index.shtml
The Literacy Institute Hosts LESLLA, an International English Language Forum for Researchers and Policy Makers
For Immediate Release October 30, 2006 News Release
The Literacy Institute will host the international LESLLA 2006 forum for over 80 international, national, and statewide researchers, practitioners, and policy makers on November 2-3 at Virginia Commonwealth University.
LESLLA, which stands for Low Educated Second Language and Literacy Acquisition, is an international forum focusing on the development of second language skills by adult immigrants with little or no schooling prior to moving to the country of entry. "It's hard for individuals to learn to speak and read in English when they cannot read in their own language," says Nancy Faux, ESOL specialist at the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center and the conference's organizer.
Researchers from as far the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and East Timor, and from across our nation will study and discuss education policy development in countries where immigrants settle and most need educational support. The conference features more than twenty presentations and discussion groups, opening with an address on "A National Citizenship Implementation Plan" and including the U.S. premiere of the European Quality Label Prize-winning film, "Newcomers to Morocco," which documents what happens when Dutch literacy teachers become the students in an Arabic class in Morocco.
Toward the conference's conclusion, working groups of experts from The Center for Applies Linguistics; Brown University; University of Minnesota; American Institutes of Research; Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.; Literacy Work International; Newcastle University, UK; Tilburg University, NL; and Radboud University, NL; Virginia Commonwealth University; and the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, among many others, will develop research and action recommendations for international implementation.
The Literacy Institute is a partnership between the Virginia Literacy Foundation and Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Education and Center for Public Policy.
To find out more about the conference and participants, please visit the LESLLA website at www.leslla.org or see our Media Advisory at www.valrc.org. The conference, held on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, is open to registered participants only.
Contact: Hillary Major Phone: 800-237-0178 Fax: 804-828-7539 Email: hmajor@vcu.edu
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Media Advisory: The Literacy Institute Hosts International Forum
The Literacy Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University will host the second annual international LESLLA Conference on November 2-3, 2006, at VCU.
LESLLA was founded in 2005 to address the needs of immigrants who have little or no schooling in their native language and are trying to learn a new language. LESLLA 2006 brings together a group of international experts to explore how ground-breaking research can be applied in the classroom and in policy making.
The conference features more than twenty presentations and discussion groups, opening with an address on "A National Citizenship Implementation Plan" and including the U.S. premiere of the European Quality Label Prize-winning film, "Newcomers to Morocco," which documents what happens when Dutch literacy teachers become the students in an Arabic class in Morocco. Working groups of experts will develop research and action recommendation for international implementation. The Literacy Institute, a partnership between the Virginia Literacy Foundation and Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Education and Center for Public Policy, is proud to host this event.
The Literacy Institute: Mark Emblidge, President of the Virginia State Board of Education and Executive Director of The Literacy Institute at VCU; Barbara Gibson, Associate Director of the Literacy Institute and Manager of the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
LESLLA Founders: Martha Young-Scholten (Newcastle University, UK); Jeanne Kurvers (Tilburg University, Netherlands); Ineke van de Craats (Radboud University, Netherlands)
Plenary Session Speakers: Jeff Chenoweth, Division Director of National Operations and Support for Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC); Heidi Spruck Wrigley, Senior Researcher, LiteracyWork International; Joy Kreeft Peyton, Director of the Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) and Vice President of the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) Nancy Faux, ESOL Specialist at VALRC Larry Condelli, Managing Director of the American Institutes of Research
In addition:Local, national and international ESOL teachers and researchers
For press information, contact: Hillary Major, Phone: 804-828-7535, Email: hmajor@vcu.edu; for secondary contact, Victoire Gerkens Sanborn, Phone: 827-2638, Email: vjsanbor@vcu.edu
Governor Warner Holds Race to GED Press Conference
Race week in Richmond was punctuated by Governor Warner's exciting press conference, at which he announced that Emporia's own Elliott Sadler will serve as the 2005 Race to GED spokesman. Around the racing complex, and across the state, Sadler's image is featured on billboards encouraging Virginians to "Get on the fast track" and "Get your GED." Sadler unveiled his new 60 second public service announcement, produced by the Department of Education, which is being aired statewide.
"I believe in this," said Sadler. "I think it is something we all need to get behind. Everybody deserves a fair chance at life and to be a part of what's going on in this great state."
In attendance were several corporate and community sponsors who have made significant investments in the Race to GED. Governor Warner stressed that he was encouraged by the 14% increase in GED certification in 2004. However, he went on to explain that "this is not good enough", saying that Virginia needs to double its annual GED successes.
You can view pictures of the press conference.
Proposed Federal & State Budgets for 2005-2006
To find the full summary of President Bush's proposed budget for 2006 and the text for the 2005 Virginia state budget, click here.
- Full summary of President Bush's proposed 2006 budget
- Governor Warner's Request for Race to GED Increase
- Senate Finance Committee Race to GED Increase
- House Appropriations Cut in GED Funding
- Search for GED under the House and the Senate sections
Race to GED & Bilingual Publicity
In fall 2004, the Race to GED garnered some attention with its presence at Richmond's Que Pasa Festival, an annual celebration of Latino culture. In December, a bilingual publication serving the Hispanic community, Los Mejores Trabajos en Richmond ("The Best Jobs in Richmond"), featured the Resource Center's GED Helpline. The documents below include the excellent article, both in Spanish and in English, about the Race to GED and how to get started. Please feel free to reprint this with proper citation.
- Una ventaja fuera de la escuela (A Leg Up Outside of the Classroom) - Adobe Acrobat PDF, 66KB
- Una ventaja fuera de la escuela (A Leg Up Outside of the Classroom) - Microsoft Word, 27KB
Race to GED in the Times-Dispatch
Richmond Times-Dispatch staff writer, David Ress, wrote an excellent article about the "Race to GED" and Henrico's efforts in the initiative. It was published on the cover of the August 3rd edition of the Metro section. We encourage you to take a look at the article online if you missed it in the paper. Then, be sure to store it in your collection of GED marketing materials. This is just the type of media coverage we're hoping for statewide, and it will be helpful to have such examples when you are pitching stories to your local papers.
Race to GED: ARCA/REMAX 200 live
On Saturday, June 26, the #04 RACE to GED Pontiac was seen live and nationwide in the ARCA/REMAX 200 from South Boston Speedway. The race was broadcast live from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on the Speed Channel, a cable television channel dedicated to racing. This was a wonderful piece of marketing for our initiative.
Peyton Sellers, the car's driver, made his ARCA debut in the REMAX 200. Please join us in thanking Peyton for doing such a great job of promoting the Race to GED. Continue below to view pictures of the car, Peyton, and Stacey Wright taken at the press conference held Thursday, June 17.
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