For Students

Technology Masters

This program is intended to enrich the education of 2nd through 4th grade students by teaching them a variety of topics related to technology and academic subjects.

Learning Math After School Can Be Fun

This is a 5-week summer program that is designed to improve the math literacy of under performing 3rd through 5th grade students who need intervention in improving their math knowledge and skills.

How to Start Your Own Business

This is a 5-week summer program that is designed to teach 13 to 17 year old students how to start their own business.

For Teachers

Integrating Technology in Teaching

While technology is not a panacea for all educational ills, today’s technologies are essential tools of the teaching profession. To use these tools effectively, teachers need insight into the technologies’ potential, opportunities to apply them, training and just-in-time support, and time to experiment. Only then can teachers be informed and fearless in their use of new technologies. –Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection (OTA, 1995, p.1)

The Integrating Technology In Teaching program is designed to teach educators how to effectively integrate software programs and computers in their teaching methodology. Popular software programs and titles: PowerSchool, PowerTeacher, SchoolNet, and such names as, Kidspiration, Digital Curriculum, Breakthrough To Literacy, Word Processing, PowerPoint, Internet, Email and Learning Village are examples of tools that can easily be integrated in a classroom setting. The program facilitates learning software tools and integrating them as part of a daily teaching methodology. Program components include:

  • Observe in a classroom setting current teaching methodology
  • Analyze current teaching methodology  for potential technology integration
  • Recommend areas for potential technology integration
  • Review recommendations with the teacher and develop a custom training plan
  • Implement training plans and monitor results
  • Provide support, (call 203-410-3679), for questions and consults
  •  Solicit feedback and evaluate impact via a questionnaire
  •  Share Program results with Teachers and Administration
  • Refine, on a continuous basis, integrating technology training curriculum

For Parents

Technology Cascade & Training Program

Can you imagine life without a computer to do school work? Students in impoverished urban neighborhoods, who do not have access to a computer at home, are at a distinct disadvantage, making it much more difficult to compete and succeed in school and in life! Their parents often lack computer knowledge to be able to help their children with learning at home. Yet, for many low-income school children living in impoverished urban communities, owning a computer has only been a dream. They are part of the “digital divide”, the gap between their more affluent classmates who possess regular access to technology, namely computers and access to the internet, and those who do not.

Concepts for Adaptive Learning‘s solution is called the Technology Cascade & Training Program. The program gives computer training, refurnished computers and technical support to disadvantaged parents of students living in Hamden, Meriden and New Haven. The goals of the program are to increase these parents’ involvement in their children’s education, extend learning beyond the classroom, and eliminate the technology gap that exists for disadvantaged families.

Since computers and the Internet have assumed such a central role in our schools, workplaces and homes, computer literacy has become perhaps the most important skill for adults and children alike. A working knowledge of computers is the key to accessing advanced educational opportunities and higher paying jobs.

Components of the program include:

  • Acquiring gently used working computers from Connecticut companies and universities
  • Installing the same software on these computers as the children use at school
  • Installing computers in homes of underserved parents who complete 10 hours of training
  • Training parents how to use the computer to help their children with education at home
  • Providing on-going technical support
  • Providing a bi-lingual instructor for parents who do not speak English
  • On-going assessment as to the impact the computer is having on helping the parents with their children’s education

Digital Literacy for Early Learners, “A Primer for Parents”
This is a new program that CfAL launched in March 2013.

The program has been designed to increase disadvantaged parents’ awareness of the benefit of early learning, and help them engage in educating their children, ages birth to 5, so their children can start kindergarten with the critical skills they’ll need to learn and succeed in school. The program combines platform instruction, along with detailed instruction and discussion about use of Libraries and engaging early learner educational websites targeted for each specific age level.

Program goal: Children from low-income families are prepared and ready to learn and succeed when entering/starting school.