LINCS Courses For States

Please contact us for more information on how to obtain access to the courses for use in your states at training@lincs.ed.gov.

Career Pathways Courses
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
English Language Learners Courses
Learning Disabilities Courses
Science Courses
Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning-Differentiated Instruction
Teaching and Learning-Teacher Effectiveness
Teaching and Learning-Teaching Adults to Read
Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy
Technology and Learning Courses
Facilitated Courses
Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy

 

Download Instructions: The backup files are zip files saved by Moodle. After downloading, you can upload it to your learning management system. If your learning management system (LMS) is Moodle, change the file extension to ".mbz" and you can use the file to "restore" it as a new course. If using a different LMS, you will need to check the documentation for that LMS in order to use these files exported from Moodle. As you incorporate LINCS courses into your LMS, please document any issues that you come across so that we can better understand the challenges and solutions for exporting/importing the courses. LINCS uses Moodle and we have a mix of moodle-based courses and SCORM compliant courses available. Links are also provided below to view the course repository pages on github. There you can see the file list including a readme file that goes into more detail on importing a course into Moodle. Should you have any questions or comments, please contact training@lincs.ed.gov.

Career Pathways

  • Adult Career Pathways 1: Building Strategic Partnerships: Engaging Employers View Course Repository | Download Course
    This course is the first in the series of three self-directed courses focusing on adult career pathways and is intended for multiple audiences:

    1. State adult education directors
    2. State program managers
    3. State professional development staff
    4. Local and regional program administrators
    5. Career and technical education state directors
    6. Adult education and English language acquisition instructors with an active interest in developing stakeholder and employer relationships for instructional enhancements and workforce preparation skill building or project- or work-based learning will also benefit from reviewing the content.

    While this course may be taken alone, the user may benefit from taking all three ACP courses.

  • Adult Career Pathways 2: Building a Bridge to Adult Career Pathways View Course Repository | Download Course
    This course is the second course in the series and is intended for local program administrators. However, state directors, department chairs, deans, academic senates, career development staff, curriculum developers, and other education, workforce, and community professionals will benefit from understanding how this course supports the design of bridge programs and the alignment of curriculum and employment outcomes. While this course may be taken alone, the user may benefit from taking all three ACP courses.
  • Adult Career Pathways 3: Instructional Considerations for Adult Career Pathways View Course Repository | Download Course
    This course is the third in the series and is intended for adult basic education (ABE) and English language acquisition (ELA) instructors and other education professionals teaching or developing curricula for adult career pathways (ACPs). While this course may be taken alone, the user may benefit from taking all three ACP courses.
  • ADVANCE Integrated Education and Training (IET): IET Fundamentals View Course Repository | Download Course
    Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs are designed to help adults improve their basic skills while learning occupational and workplace skills to prepare them for in-demand careers. The IET Fundamentals online course introduces the foundational concepts, requirements, and core elements of IET design and implementation.
  • Creating Adult Pre-Apprenticeships View Course Repository | Download Course
    This course is designed to help adult education providers design new pre-apprenticeship programs and support providers who are refining existing pre-apprenticeships or implementing similar integrated education and training programs. The content includes examples and resources that are relevant to a range of adult education providers and a variety of industries. The course includes four modules: Understanding Pre-Apprenticeships, Working with Industry, Designing Your Pre-Apprenticeship, and Managing Your Pre-Apprenticeship.
  • Introduction to Workforce Preparation and Employability Skills View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is designed for adult educators, administrators, teachers, and advisors who seek an introduction to the concept of workforce preparation and the specific skills outlined in the U.S. Department of Education's Employability Skills Framework. Participants should expect to learn what constitutes the workforce preparation activities referenced in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA); explain how to integrate workforce preparation activities into adult education programming and instruction; and locate resources to develop and incorporate workforce preparation activities into curriculum and instruction. This is the first in a two-part series exploring workforce preparation skills. The second course is Workforce Preparation Activities in the Classroom: Contextualizing Employability Skills for Deeper Learning.
  • Workforce Preparation Activities in the Classroom View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is designed for adult educators, administrators, teachers, and advisors who would like more familiarity with how workforce preparation and employability skills can be incorporated into instructional activities. It is recommended that users also complete the Introduction to Workforce Preparation and Employability Skills course, which covers workforce preparation and the specific skills outlined in the U.S. Department of Education's Employability Skills Framework. After completing this course, participants will be able to:
    • describe the rationale behind contextualized instruction that simultaneously addresses college and career readiness instruction and general workforce preparation and employability skills, and
    • demonstrate how this rationale is already incorporated into an existing curriculum; explain best practices concerning workforce preparation activities as referenced in WIOA and illustrate how these practices are currently being used to teach employability skills to adult learners; and
    • locate resources to develop incorporate workforce preparation activities into curriculum and instruction.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): From Awareness to Action View Course Repository | Download Course
    This course leads participants to think through and evaluate DEI at the program and classroom level. The course scaffolds information leading to the process of conducting a classroom or program equity audit. The course is designed to be completed in a group or by individuals.

English Language Learners

  • LINCS ESL Pro Module 1: Meeting the Language Needs of Today’s Adult English Language Learner View Course Repository | Download Course
    This self-paced professional development module addresses the increasingly complex language and critical thinking skills adult English language learners (ELLs) need to succeed in today's world. The overarching goal of this module is to give professionals who work with adult ELLs the tools to provide rigorous instruction that will help all learners transition to new opportunities. This module contains four units. Estimated completion time for each unit is 2-3 hours. A certificate can be earned for each unit upon completion of the unit activities. The Units are:
    • Increasing Rigor of Adult English Language Instruction
    • Incorporating Language for Success at All Levels
    • Language Strategies for Success at All Levels
    • Critical Thinking at all Levels of English Language Acquisition
  • LINCS ESL Pro Module 2: Integrating Digital Literacy into Adult English Language Instruction View Course Repository | Download Course
    The self-paced professional development module is designed for teachers and administrators interested in integrating digital literacy in their classes and programs for adult English Language Learners. This module contains 4 units. Estimated completion time for each unit is 2-3 hours. A certificate can be earned for each unit upon completion of the unit activities. The Units are:
    • Digital Literacy in our Lives
    • Information and Communication Technologies for Language Learning
    • Digital Information Literacy
    • Problem Solving in Technology Rich Environments
  • LINCS ESL Pro Module 3: Preparing English Learners for Work and Career Pathways View Course Repository | Download Course
    This self-paced professional development module provides the foundational concepts related to designing and implementing an adult ELA program contextualized for career pathways. This module contains four units which provide more detail on implementing various aspects of an effective contextualized program. Estimated completion time for each unit is 2-3 hours. The Units are:
    • Key Concepts
    • Program Design: Issues and Options
    • Curriculum and Instruction
    • Evaluation and Assessment
  • Teaching Adult English Learners: Principles and Practices View Course Repository | Download Course
    This course is designed to support teachers new to working with adult English learners, or ELs. After completing the course, participants will be able to identify and apply appropriate instructional strategies for teaching adult ELs. They will also have strengthened their skills as an instructor and be able to implement classroom management practices to optimize learning in both in-person and virtual learning environments.

Learning Disabilities

  • Universal Design for Learning: It All Starts with a Goal View Course Repository | Download Course
    This module focuses on the why and how of helping adult learners set goals. After completing this module, adult educators will feel better equipped to develop and teach a wide range of learners the skills needed to create and monitor meaningful, obtainable goals.
  • Universal Design for Learning: Learning that Works for All View Course Repository | Download Course
    Everyone has unique learning abilities and struggles. The purpose of this module is to identify how research-based learning strategies can increase engagement and access for all learners. Through this module, adult educators are introduced to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines which provide a framework to help educators create learning spaces which work better for all students. Additionally, straightforward strategies that educators can use to immediately start implementing UDL are presented.
  • Universal Design for Learning: Making Math Matter View Course Repository | Download Course
    Many adult learners struggle to learn math. This module focuses on improving math instruction for all adult learners, including those with learning differences. Topics in this module include math anxiety, the impact of stereotypes on math learners, the importance of developing growth mindsets, and many others. The module concludes with examples of classroom activities that adult educators can use in their math learning spaces beginning today.
  • Universal Design for Learning: Making Reading and Writing Matter View Course Repository | Download Course
    This module expands the view of literacy to include reading, writing, and other forms of media. The concepts in this module will help adult educators reflect on current approaches and consider new strategies to ultimately help adult learners see why reading and writing truly matter, therefore providing them with the motivation to persevere even when presented with difficulties.
  • Universal Design for Learning: Building Communities for Learning View Course Repository | Download Course
    Adults need to feel a sense of belonging in the classroom. This module focuses on strategies for developing a sense of belonging for adult learners and allows educators to reflect on why teaching adults is different than teaching children. Strategies for how adult educators can support community building in the classroom and beyond are also included.
  • Universal Design for Learning: Self-Advocacy for Work and Learning  View Course Repository | Download Course
    The purpose of this module is to introduce adult educators to two key terms: self-advocacy and learner agency. By completing this module, educators will learn the value these concepts bring to the classroom and identify ways they can design learning environments to facilitate and build self-advocacy and learner agency among their learners.
  • Universal Design for Learning: Improving Systems for Adult Education View Course Repository | Download Course
    This module will be especially useful to administrators who seek to create “expert learning systems”— interrelated learning communities—where all individuals (teachers, volunteers, administrators, etc.) are expert learners who can assess their own needs, set personal and professional learning goals, and monitor their progress. Topics included in this module include the importance of dismantling discrimination and supporting individual variability when designing expert learning systems. Finally, signs of expert learning are explained with special emphases on teachers, volunteers, and learners.
  • L2A: Legal Issues, Self-Disclosure, and Confidentiality View Course Repository | Download Course
    This course examines legal and ethical issues that specifically affect adults with learning disabilities (LD) and is meant to provide an understanding of the law to guide professional practice. It identifies the legal, self-disclosure and confidentiality issues that are relevant to service providers working with adults with LD; and discusses possible implications for service delivery when a student discloses a learning disability.

Science Courses

  • Engaging Adult Learners in Science View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course provides an overview of the relevance and importance of science in the adult basic education/adult secondary education (ABE/ASE) classroom. It introduces eight scientific practices outlined in the National Research Council’s A Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, and applies these practices to scientific literacy in the everyday lives of adult learners. The course identifies activities for integrating the scientific practices into classroom instruction.
  • Teaching Energy Literacy to Adult Learners View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course explains the concept of energy literacy, and introduces the Energy Literacy Framework developed by the U.S. Department of Energy. Educators can use the Framework (available in English and Spanish) to teach adult learners about the role of energy in their lives and to generate potential interest in energy as a career field. This course explores the Fundamental Concepts of the seven essential principles outlined in the Energy Literacy Framework and provides examples of online resources teachers can use to teach the principles and associated concepts to adult learners. 

  • Project-Based Science Instruction for Career Preparation View Course Repository | Download Course

    This Moodle course is designed to facilitate the teaching of science in adult education classrooms using a Project-Based Learning (PBL) model. This course makes the connections between science content knowledge and how adults use science in their daily lives, especially in work and career-related contexts.
     

Teaching and Learning

  • Build a Lesson with OER View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is designed as a template, or guide, to help teachers with experience in the Moodle Learning Management System environment to develop a comprehensive online lesson using OERs to deliver instruction. It is not a facilitated course. The course template is designed with a basic structure aligned to a modified TEAL Lesson Plan Builder (using a WIPPEA lesson plan model: warm-up, introduction, presentation, practice, evaluation, and application) that allows teachers to create a usable online resource that learners can access anytime. The WIPPEA lesson planning model was chosen as the framework for this template because it is widely recognized and commonly used in effective lesson planning strategies for adult education (AE). The course template is designed to be flexible and will allow teachers to choose which WIPPEA lesson plan elements to develop online. The course template would be used to design a lesson that would fit a variety of instructional strategies (i.e., facilitated, self-study, or flipped) and would allow teachers the opportunity to integrate different types of OERs (e.g., text, audio, videos, assessments, and simulations). Self-directed; Estimated Completion Time: 3.5-5 hours.
  • Open your Classroom with OER View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course introduces the wide variety of Open Educational Resources (OER) available to adult education instructors, including Creative Commons and other open licenses. Instructors of all programs will gain an understanding of how to identify and search for materials to use in their teaching practice. In addition to learning search strategies, instructors will gain an understanding of how to evaluate OER for appropriate use.

Teaching and Learning-Differentiated Instruction

  • Differentiated Instruction and Lesson Planning View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is designed for instructors who have a basic familiarity with differentiated instruction. The course is divided into five modules (plus an Introduction), designed as a self-paced online course in the Moodle Learning System. It is estimated to take five hours to complete.

Teaching and Learning - Teacher Effectiveness

  • Introduction to Teacher Effectiveness and Induction View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course guides you through what the research tells us about teacher effectiveness. In addition, the course provides an overview of the Adult Education Teacher Competencies; an introduction to Teacher Induction; a summary of the Adult Education Teacher Induction Toolkit and its resources; and suggestions for further study. This course is intended for all those involved in supporting teacher effectiveness, including: instructional leaders, mentors, beginning teachers, professional developers, teacher educators, and state-level adult education directors.
  • Motivating Adult Learners to Persist View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course supports teachers' understanding of eleven strategies that motivate adult learners to persist, especially those described in the National Research Council's Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Supporting Learning and Motivation. It also provides teachers with guidance to make focused observations of how these strategies are implemented. Many adult learners face considerable barriers to their academic success and often have many competing responsibilities (family, work, etc.) Only by persisting in school are these learners able to set and meet academic goals and improve their learning outcomes. This course provides adult education instructors the specific knowledge and skills in delivering evidence-based instruction that will support their learners and motivate them to continue learning.
  • Principles of Learning for Instructional Design View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is intended for all teachers of adult learners. Its purpose is to support teachers' understanding of the key principles underlying instructional design that promotes learning and to consider strategies for applying those principles in their teaching. The key principles are described in the National Research Council’s Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Supporting Learning and Motivation. This course helps develop teacher effectiveness in using evidence-based instruction. Principles of Learning for Instructional Design aligns with research on teacher effectiveness, acknowledging the important role of teacher competence and teacher induction. Research indicates that teacher effectiveness determines student achievement and performance, and learning to deliver evidence-based instruction effectively will help improve student learning.

Teaching and Learning - Teaching Adults to Read

  • Teaching Beginning and Intermediate Readers View Course Repository | Download Course
    This course is for adult educators and explores evidence-based instructional practices for supporting adult beginning and intermediate readers in mastering essential skills, from alphabetics to comprehension. This course includes six modules: Introduction, Diagnostic Assessment, Alphabetics, Vocabulary, Fluency, and Comprehension.
  • Teaching Advanced Readers View Course Repository | Download Course
    This course is for adult educators and explores evidence-based instructional practices for supporting adult advanced readers in mastering essential skills. This course includes four modules: Introduction, Advanced Diagnostics, Advanced Comprehension, and Advanced Vocabulary.

Technology and Learning

  • Integrating Technology in the Adult Education Classroom View Course Repository | Download Course
    The course is designed for instructors who are at the beginner/intermediate level of knowledge of technology tools and technology integration in the classroom. This course examines the why, how, and what questions for integrating technology in the adult education classroom.

Facilitated Courses

  • Adult Numeracy Instruction 2.0 View Course Repository | Download Course
    The ANI 2.0 PD program is an intensive, evidence-based program in effective standards-aligned mathematics instruction for adults. The goal of the program is to support instructors of adult mathematics learners to teach effectively, responsively, equitably, and with attention to both mathematics content and mathematical practices. This first module of the program serves as an introduction to the program—its goals, organization, expectations, common routines, and core content. Because ANI 2.0 is a fully online program that includes both synchronous and asynchronous components, Module 1 also orients participants to the organizational and technical logistics of the program.
  • Explicit Instruction for Adult Learners View Course Repository | Download Course
    Explicit instruction (EI) is a well-structured and effective methodology for teaching academic content and skills. In addition to academic outcomes, EI is designed to enable learners to gradually take more responsibility for their learning with the goal of students becoming self-regulated learners. In this Moodle course, designed for adult educators, participants will be introduced the principles of EI and provided with both curricular materials and video examples of how EI can be implemented with adult learners. Course participants will also be guided through a step-by-step process to develop EI lesson plans to meet the needs of their learners.
  • Introduction to Assessment for Adult Basic Education View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is designed for teachers, program administrators, and professional development providers who want to understand the present landscape of assessment in Adult Basic Education.  In this course, you will learn about the differences and uses of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment, identify your stakeholders, and consider which assessment type might best suit their needs; you will explore the importance of involving students in assessment and of having students establish their own goals; and finally, you will learn that aligning assessments and instruction with student goals will help ensure that you are meeting your students’ needs.  You will also be introduced to LINCS and its resources, including the online assessment community where you will post an activity as a culminating experience of this course.  The intent of this course is to draw on participants’ current understanding and practice of assessment, introduce new information, and provide opportunities for participants to reflect on and improve their own practice with assessment. The objectives for the course are to:
    • learn the appropriate use of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment;
    • identify your stakeholders, and consider which assessment type might best suit their needs;
    • understand the importance of involving students in assessment and of having students establish their own goals;
    • identify ways to conduct diagnostic or formative assessment in your classroom;
    • understand the importance of aligning assessments and instruction with student goals; and
    • become familiar with LINCS and what resources it has to offer.
  • Open Math-Open Resources View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is designed to help math teachers find quality OER for the adult education (AE) classroom, evaluate them for appropriate classroom use, and assess their effectiveness in meeting learning objectives. It provides teachers with ideas and resources for instructional strategies to introduce and engage adult students in learning math.
  • Open Science-Open Resources View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is designed to help science teachers find quality OER for the adult education (AE) classroom, evaluate them for appropriate classroom use, and assess their effectiveness in meeting learning objectives. It provides teachers with ideas and resources for instructional strategies to introduce and engage adult students in learning science.

Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy

  • TEAL: Deeper Learning Through Questioning View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is for Deeper Learning Through Questioning. Questioning is a powerful teaching approach. When teachers ask higher-order questions and give students opportunities to think critically and to develop deep explanations, learning is enhanced. Equally important as teacher questions are student self-questions. Self-questioning can guide learning and help students to monitor their progress. This course focuses on both teacher questioning and student self-questioning.
  • TEAL: Differentiated Instruction View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is for Differentiated Instruction. Differentiated instruction is an approach that enables instructors to plan strategically to meet the needs of every learner. The approach encompasses the planning and delivery of instruction, classroom management techniques, and expectations of learners’ performance that take into consideration learners’ diversity and varied levels of readiness, interests, and learning profiles.
  • TEAL: Effective Lesson Planning View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is for Effective Lesson Planning. Planning is critical in identifying appropriate action steps to help one effectively reach a goal. Lesson plans help instructors set learning objectives and they provide a road map by which instructors can organize content, materials, time, instructional strategies and assistance in the classroom. They also represent a way to communicate to learners what they will learn and how they will be assessed. In this course, you will learn some techniques to make the most of your planning time and maximize collaboration with your peers.
  • TEAL: Formative Assessment View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is for Formative Assessment. Formative assessment refers to both the formal and the informal processes that teachers and students use collaboratively to gather evidence of student learning for the purpose of improving the learning. Formative assessment occurs while the learning is taking place, as opposed to summative assessment that typically occurs at the end of a learning unit or course to determine what the student has learned. Formative assessment is a process, not a one-time event; it is assessment for learning, rather than assessment of learning, as with summative assessment. Come learn more about formative assessment!
  • TEAL: Self-Regulated Learning View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is for Self-Regulated Learning. Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) refers to one's ability to understand and control one's learning behaviors. For the learner to do this, he or she must set goals, select the strategies to achieve the goals, and monitor progress towards the goals. In monitoring his or her progress, the learner can determine if a particular learning strategy is not working and he/she can modify the approach to mastering a skill. All of these activities, which can be customized to any content area, can help refine learners' attention to and confidence in learning and reinforcing specific habits, strategies, and skills. You can expect to complete this course in approximately 6 hours as you explore strategies for encouraging students to self-regulate their learning and for applying those strategies to the adult education context. You are asked to complete at least one of the assignments.
  • TEAL: Strategy Instruction View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is for Strategy Instruction. Strategies are tools in a learners' toolbox. You can use this approach to help your students practice and master instructional content.
  • TEAL: Student-Centered Learning View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is for Student-Centered Learning. Student-centered learning (SCL) is an instructional approach that focuses on the needs of students and allows students to influence the content, activities, materials, and pace of learning according to their interests and needs. Although it often is necessary for teachers to provide information to students through lecture and demonstration, sometimes teachers can over-emphasize the role of transmitter of information and not place enough attention on students’ specific learning needs. In student-centered instruction, the student is placed at the center of the teaching-learning dynamic, so that transmission of information is secondary to student's needs, abilities, interests, and learning preferences. In this way, the teacher in a student-centered classroom becomes a facilitator of learning rather than simply a transmitter of knowledge. Student-centered learning acknowledges student voice as central to the learning experience for every learner. This approach not only promotes active student involvement, but the student-teacher dialogue that is characteristic of SCL also can be a renewing experience for teacher learning. Research confirms the positive influences of SCL instructional approaches: properly implemented SCL can lead to increased student motivation to learn, greater retention of knowledge, deeper understanding, and increased persistence in educational programs.
  • TEAL: Universal Design Learning View Course Repository | Download Course
    This Moodle course is for Universal Design for Learning. This course provides an overview of the UDL concept and principles. You can expect to complete this course in 5 to 6 hours to learn more about the framework and guidelines of UDL and how to apply them to the adult education context. You are asked to complete at least one of the assignments.