2026 Iowa Adult Education & Literacy Conference

This session focuses on practical strategies that build confidence, persistence, and measurable gains in math. Participants will share what works, troubleshoot barriers, and walk away with ready-to-use approaches.

In this session, the presenters will describe the Learning Upgrade platform and how this online learning system has benefitted a variety of learners at Iowa Valley during the 2025-2026 academic year. They will offer tips and tricks for effective use in multilevel in-person and online HSED classrooms, as well as with English Language Learners. They will demonstrate the product and what learners experience when studying with it. Attendees will have the opportunity to have a free 90-day pilot program with Learning Upgrade at their institutions or organizations.  

A strong HiSET program begins with understanding what learner data reveals about access, performance, and outcomes. This session reviews the HiSET Statistical Report to highlight participation trends, pass rates, subject‑level strengths and challenges, and retesting patterns. Participants will consider what the data suggests about learner demand, where individuals may be encountering barriers, and which supports most effectively strengthen persistence and completion. The focus is on moving from “data awareness” to “data‑informed action” by identifying practical improvements across preparation supports, referral workflows, and test center operations. The session will also share any program updates and introduces the HiSET Workforce Hub, which connects credential attainment to career pathways and streamlines coordination among partners.

Beginning in the fall of 2026, all individuals pursuing an HSED will be required to earn a score of 60% or higher on the civics test issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. It is easy to see this exam as an exercise in rote memorization; yet, the requirement to teach this content provides an opportunity for students to engage in meaningful discussion of the country’s past, present and future. Through this session, participants will explore the difference between politics and civics with an emphasis on the concept of civic culture; examine how evidence-based strategies such as interleaving and retrieval practice can support exam preparation; and, connect test questions to foundational historical documents and the perennial challenges of self-government. Time will be reserved during the session for students to test out lesson plans and explore available resources.

HiSET classes require academic language that our non-native speakers of English may lack. In this session, we will present crucial techniques that instructors in HiSET classes can use to support all learners. We will focus on scaffolding instruction, sheltering content, modeling, and utilizing multimodal learning.

Adult learners are more engaged and persistent when they understand how classroom learning connects to real-world opportunities. This interactive session highlights how Canvas-based instruction and career pathway advising can work together to create meaningful, student-centered learning experiences.

Participants will explore how curriculum delivered through Canvas can be intentionally aligned with career exploration, helping students connect academic skills to future goals. The presenters will share practical strategies, digital tools, and ready-to-use activities—including career exploration resources and classroom applications—that can be immediately implemented in HiSET, ABE, and ELL settings.

Attendees will leave with concrete ideas for integrating career pathways into instruction, increasing student motivation, and supporting learners in building clear, achievable plans for their future.

This session explores how to ignite critical thinking and literacy across subject areas. Participants will collaborate on strategies that make content relevant, engaging, and impactful for adult learners.