Training
Authentic Learning & Technology Integration
As Chief Learning Office of Mustard Seed Training, Meagen Farrell focuses on multi-year projects to implement technology using real-world materials and scenarios.
Contact Meagen at learn@mustseed.org to book professional development or discuss your project.
While focusing on the importance of teaching presence and building community, Meagen supports fellow educators and catechists to utilize online tools for effective adult and family education. She is currently pursuing a PhD in educational technology from Kent State University.
Current Projects
Communications to Strengthen Families
While all school or church staff are trained to report abuse and neglect when we see it, how can we help prevent domestic violence in our everyday work? Participants learn simple but powerful “mustard seed” changes to their technology-mediated communications to help families avoid or heal from trauma.
This series is intended for any adult who communicates directly with families. The sessions briefly introduce research on five protective factors to strengthen families and prevent violence and neglect: parental resilience, emotional competence, parenting knowledge, concrete support, and social connections. Participants will see practical examples of revising or creating family communications in light of this research, including websites, shared document storage, automated emails or texts, and more. These practices can also increase family engagement for stronger school or church communities.
The Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland's Contextualized Curriculum
Meagen Farrell contributed lesson plans to the 1st edition of the Digital Literacy Contextualized Curriculum, then edited the 2nd editions of all five industries into their current form. She continues to provide professional development for instructors on utilizing these free, authentic workplace materials. The 3rd edition is currently in the planning stages, which would incorporate interactive digital content.
Action Research Distance Learning (ARDL) II: Industry-Focused Standards and Communities of Practice
This multi-year collaboration will support adult educators in Washington, D.C. to pilot hyflex courses for Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs. It brings together expertise from the University of D.C.'s Adult Education Program, D.C. Office of the State Superintendent (OSSE) Adult and Family Education unit, World Education, and Mustard Seed Training. This action research project will build on previous Mini-PD Institutes and the 1st stage of Action Research Distance Learning, which piloted distance learning starting in 2019.
In Spring 2024, Meagen Farrell will lead industry-focused groups of adult educators and administrators to implement industry standards in their hyflex lesson plans. The next phase will involve editing and organizing selected lesson plans into a regional repository.
Services include
- Editorial services for collections of authentic educational materials such as The Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland's Contextualized Curriculum.
- Facilitating professional development including workshops, online courses, and distributed communities of practice.
- Designing processes to integrate technology and reflect on data to continuously improve performance.
Previous projects include
Biography
Meagen Farrell started her career serving as an AmeriCorps member and HM Volunteer at a homeless shelter and drop-in center in Cleveland, Ohio. As an adult literacy tutor, she learned about the impact of adult education to create opportunities for people in the transition to stable housing. This has led to a career of teaching adults and families for a more just and loving society.
Meagen brings 20 years of experience in the fields of adult basic education, nonprofit communications, project management, religious education, and educational technology. She founded Mustard Seed Training in 2018 to strengthen families and educators to grow in faith, love and charity. She has a Bachelor's in Religion from Oberlin College, Certificate in Distance Education from Penn State University, Master's in Theology and Religious Studies from John Carroll University, and is currently studying for a PhD in Educational Technology at Kent State University.
Her previous company, Farrell Ink, supported literacy collaborations and organizations from brainstorming through the first 1-3 years of project pilots and implementation. During this time, she worked with partnerships of nonprofits to bring $1.2 million to Northeast Ohio for adult literacy, with a 80% success rate for grants submitted.