University News

WIU i-Pathways Part of Recent CBS Show

April 9, 2019

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MACOMB, IL -- A Western Illinois University project is making national news for its outreach efforts.

i-Pathways, which is part of the Center for the Application of Information Technologies (CAIT) at WIU, is an adult education program led by Paul Sweet, CAIT director, and other CAIT developers. Earlier this year, the project partnered with the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network in California to provide i-Pathways statewide to California adult education programs. And most recently, the program was featured on the CBS daytime talk show, "Face the Truth," hosted by Vivica Fox. Producers contacted the i-Pathways team when they were looking for a solution to provide adult education opportunities for a guest of the show.

According to Sweet, the i-Pathways curriculum assists adult learners prepare for high school equivalency tests. Developed in 2002, the i-Pathways project has served thousands of learners across the United States and continues to work with state agencies, program leaders, and adult learners seeking credible web-based resources.

In Fall 2018, in the wake of Hurricane Florence's devastation on the east coast, the i-Pathways project, offered free access to programs damaged in the hurricane. The i-Pathways team reached out to adult education state directors in South Carolina and North Carolina, and has worked with South Carolina programs, offering a year of free access to the i-Pathways projects for any programs affected by the hurricane and its aftermath.

Kathy Olesen-Tracey serves as the i-Pathways curriculum director (and instructional technology systems manager for CAIT).

"Adult education programs serve students who want to improve their academic ability in order to obtain a sustainable job, enter college or build vocational skills," Olsesen-Tracey explained. "Programs often reach the most vulnerable members of their communities and do so with limited supplies."

CAIT not only offered help to the east coast, but also contacted programs in Puerto Rico recovering from Hurricane Maria and will also offer the same benefits to programs in Florida hit by Hurricane Michael.

"I can't think of a better way of representing Western Illinois University," Sweet added.

For more information about i-Pathways, email info@ipathways.org

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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