Lowskilled Adult Learners and Learning Technologies Strategies to

Low-skilled Adult Learners and Learning Technologies: Strategies to Support Inclusion Adam Kieffer, Distance Learning Coordinator, St. Paul, ABE Jen Vanek, University of MN & Ed Consultant Jennifer Weaverling, Assistant Supervisor, St. Paul, ABE Julia Tabbut, ABE teacher & Learner Web Admin Tom Cytron-Hysom, St Paul Community Literacy Consortium

How can we make MOOCs accessible to lower level students? Why should we bother?

Minnesota Adult Basic Education 10% 1, 200 Teachers 3, 600 trained volunteer literacy tutors 73, 000 adult learners Enrollment: FY 2012 (May 1, 2011 though April 30, 2012)

The Picture in Minnesota

This is a problem because “Digital exclusion is one of the most damaging forms of exclusion in our society. ” (Wei and Hindman, 2011)

New definition of digital literacy. 1. Teach computer skills. 2. Apply computer skills creatively to succeed in structured class and distance learning. 3. Apply computer skills and extend them to succeed in independent, selfdirected learning opportunities that are constantly changing. Establish the relevance of Internet!

Technology learn Content Teacher Networks

How do we get them there? Take action. Train teachers Measure and teach digital literacy skills Provide support opportunities for online learning and more traditional distance learning New approaches – teach how access to open information/learner-directed learning Advocate for research

Action: Measure and teach digital literacy skills.

Northstar Digital Literacy • A tool to assess and basic computer skills for lowlevel learners, the unemployed, and others • No existing product focused on low enough literacy level, at an affordable cost • Standards developed, online assessment created, marketing rolled out • Provides data to support instruction • A Certificate is available to reflect skill master

Service Stats: 3/13/12 • 64 sponsor sites in 19 Minnesota cities, Chicago, and San Jose • 51 sponsor sites proctor assessments with 114 trained proctors • 5503 assessments completed, 870 certificates generated • 31, 862 assessments completed through public site

Saint Paul Public Library

Saint Paul Public Library

Saint Paul Public Library

Action: Train more teachers

Embedding Digital Literacy Skills Into Adult Basic Education (ABE) Core Instruction

Northstar Standards Project for ABE • Assessment of digital literacy skills �For classroom or distance • Recognizing learner progress/achievement �Data tracking �Awarding certificates • Digital literacy standards for teachers NOT curriculum

Technology Integration - Embedding “Computer use is not an unusual event… Instead, computer technology is a taken-forgranted element of everyday instruction. ” ~ Dillon-Marable & Valentine

Why Embed? Research on ABE best practices… Computer use is: ◦ Seamless ◦ Appropriate ◦ Facilitated ◦ Empowering ~ Dillon-Marable & Valentine

Challenges • • • Resource/access constraints Manager/teacher fear ‘One-room school house’ Lack of curriculum Takes planning/not easy

Saint Paul Supplemental Services Grant § Regional training § Program-to-program mentoring § Study circles § Webinars § Other?

New Tools… New PD Approaches Have teachers learn using the tools they might use with their students in ABE programs.

Action: Provide supported online learning

Goal: Increase equitable access to DL • • DL Supplemental Services grant and team Project IDEAL participation DL Virtual Task Force Professional Development courses for teachers and managers • Dissemination of best practices for teaching, data tracking, using DL platforms, etc. • Website • MN ABE Summer Institute DL Strand

MN ABE DL Supplemental Services Team Goal: Increase equitable access to DL

Supplemental Services Tasks • Web site (www. mnabe-distancelearning. org) • Virtual Task Force (VTF) – addresses issues from the field; helps inform DL policy, • Professional Development for teachers and program managers (Project IDEAL – University of MI) • Regional outreach and training • E-Letters/DL updates • DL Platform Support and Northstar Digital Literacy Standards – curriculum support for ABE

Data we gathered last year… MN Project IDEAL participants only 2010/2011 # of DL students # of DL hours Avg # hours 2011/2012 Growth 2238 3228 990 44% 59, 717 93, 142 33, 425 56% 26. 7 28. 9 2. 2 8%

USA Learns Free, online DL program with 3 courses • Best audience: ELLs, CASAS Reading 181 -227, with basic digital literacy skills (not complete novices) • Strengths: 3 different course levels and solid content, simple navigation, specifically made for adult ELLs, email required as username • Weaknesses: teacher management/reporting feature not easy to use, doesn't easily show dates of work completed, no tool for direct teacher/student communication, email required as username Determining the best course for your ELLs • Course 1: CASAS 181 -200. Based on Putting English to Work • Course 2: CASAS 201 -220. Based on English for All • Course 3 (Practice English & Reading): CASAS 211 -227. Based on Adult Learning Activities

Online DL tool, supported by MDE • Best audience: CASAS 221 -228 or TABE 4. 0 for independent DL, CASAS 211+ or TABE 2. 0 for hybrid DL Strengths: many levels, can have program assign based on pretest, easy reporting Weaknesses: no tool for direct teacher/student communication, not specifically for ESL students • • Large variety of content available Reading comprehension, vocabulary, language arts Math facts, beginning math, intermediate math, algebra Information Skills: charts, graphs, dictionary and reference skills, consumer information Science Workforce Readiness Skills: job search, employability, life skills • • •

Ongoing Challenges… • Lack of technology (at ABE sites), internet access (cost and availability [in more rural areas]) • No accountability for DL program implementation and reporting/collecting of DL hours. (Participation in DL 101 and 102 helps mitigate this) • Limited access to state-wide data on DLers • Managers not budgeting for technology or DL • Resistance to changing how ‘things are done’ • ABE staff digital literacy

Action: Create new types of learning It’s the modern equivalent of this book. The ADULT

Learner Web is……. . Researchbased Made for ABE Customizable according to learner needs A supported environment

It’s research based • Longitudinal Study of Adult Learners, by Steve Reder at Portland State University • More information at lsal. pdx. edu

It’s made for ABE It matches learners to content that is relevant to their goals. Digital Literacy Career Orientation Additional ABE Computer Basics Internet Basics Email Internet Search Internet Security Social Networking Accessing highspeed Internet Buying a computer Introduction to the concept of career Setting personal career goals Support for success on the job Specific career pathways programming Citizenship English Language ABE Basic Skills Transitions Content: ü Accuplacer Prep ü Intro to colleges ü Prep for postsecondary vocational education programs.

It’s customizable and adaptable • Location • Language • Level

It’s a supported environment

New Partnerships - UI Pilot Project The Project will pair ABE with UI staff at four work force centers to address digital literacy needs of UI recipients Northstar Digital Literacy Project will provide online assessment and certification of skill mastery Learner Web will provide digital literacy instruction Volunteer Tutors will assist with and enhance instruction Other ABE services (ELL, basic skills, GED preparation) will be provided as needed

Action: Create new types of programming

Action: Research

Questions/Discussion/Contact Adam. kieffer@spps. org Jen. Vanek@moreliteracy. com Jennifer. Weaverling@spps. org Julia Tabbut, jtabbut@gmail. com Tom Cytron-Hysom, thysom@real-time. com

References Shaffer, B. 2012. Overview of Adult Basic Education in Minnesota - FY 2012. St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Education Wei, L. and D. Hindman. (2012) Mass Communication and Society Does the Digital Divide Matter More ? Comparing the Effects of New Media and Old Media Use on the Education-Based Knowledge Gap Silver-Pacuilla, H. (2008). Investigating the language and literacy skills required for independent online learning. National Institute for Literacy. Retrieved from lincs. ed. gov/publications/pdf/NIFLOnline. Learning. Report. pdf www. weareoneamerica. org/english-innovations www. Learnerweb. org www. Livemocha. com