The Shifting Digital Environment

What we knew yesterday won’t be adequate tomorrow

Tom Cytron-Hysom, Renada Rutmanis, Janet Sparks

Agenda• Warm-up

• The shifting digital environment

• Distance learning and digital literacy

• What works?

• DL Basics/Integrating Digital Literacy into the ABE classroom

• The use of DL with the Minnesota Adult Diploma; career pathways; higher ed.

• MABE/MARCS

• Looking forward

Warm-up Quiz

• Which distance learning platform will be unavailable past December 31, 2016?

• What online professional development course is a requirement for all programs providing distance learning programming in the state of MN?

• Which set of digital literacy standards have been adopted by MN as one of three sets of core standards?

• What is the SAFE model of integrating digital literacy into the ABE classroom -- and if you don’t know, what online Moodle course can you take to find out?

• Why is it crucial to build digital literacy skills in ABE learners?

The shifting digital environment

•What we knew yesterday won’t be adequate tomorrow

•We can fail our students with the best intentions if we stay in our comfort zones!

Skills students need are changing

“There has been a growing recognition that ABE students who want to be college and career ready need many more skills than those required to pass the GED... They need to become independent learners, identifying gaps in their knowledge and finding online resources to fill the gaps. They need fluency with the computer and Internet if they are going to apply for college or a job, and to succeed in a college or career environment that is increasingly built around computer transactions.”

(New Models for Distance Classes in Adult Education, Project IDEAL, 2015)

What skills are required?

“Increasingly in adult education, post-secondary education, and in the workplace, students are expected to have or acquire digital readiness skills, and skills in problem solving in technology-rich environments. Many employers and post-secondary institutions already expect employees and students to do much of their training and education online.”

(Blended Learning for the Adult Education Classroom, David Rosen and Carmine Stewart, 2015)

Low digital literacy skills create barriers

“Digital literacy itself…remains a hurdle for many low-literate adults. The OECD Survey found that of adults with below Level 1 literacy, 44 percent report having no computer experience and 16 percent failed a simple digital literacy screening assessment. For adults with Level 1 literacy, the percentages were 15 and 10 percent, respectively. A survey of how services are delivered through American Job Centers found that the lack of technological literacy is still a significant barrier to delivering more services to job seekers virtually or through blended models.“

(Making Skills Everyone’s Business, U.S. Dept. of Education, 2015)

Distance learning and digital literacy• Digital literacy is being integrated into distance learning

• The Minnesota ABE office has adopted the Northstar Digital Literacy Standards as core content for ABE in Minnesota

• Passing the Northstar Assessment is required for the new Minnesota Adult Diploma

• “A growing supply of excellent digital learning content is becoming available as open education resources (OER), meaning they can be used, shared, and modified to fit various learning scenarios free of charge.” (ibid)

• Many of these resources respond dynamically to individual learner needs

WIOA implications

• Digital literacy skills and the ability to utilize online learning are core expectations of colleges and employers

• The ability to use such skills determines ability to obtain and retain employment, and to succeed in postsecondary training

• ABE will need to further emphasize teaching of digital literacy and computer skills, and the ability to use these skills to access and benefit from online/distance learning

• DL and digital literacy are specifically noted in the WIOA statute

What is needed

•Access: All students and educators must have access to personal technology and the Internet, both at school and at home.

•Participation: All learners and educators must have sufficient digital literacy to participate fully and responsibly in a connected world.

•Empowerment: All learners and educators must be empowered to use technology to solve complex, real-world challenges.

(Digital Promise, 2014 Annual Report)

What makes a successful DL teacher?

Some common qualities

• Used one core DL Curriculum

• Used a Content Management System (often a simple website)

• Careful adaptation of technology to pedagogical and content needs

• Hybrid model

• Onsite computer lab

• Teachers were lifelong learners

(TESOL International Newsletter, Jen Vanek/Jerome Johnson)

Blended learning works!Blended learning may be more effective for adult learners than only face-to-face learning or only online learning. Data from the Texas Educating Adults Management System (TEAMS) show that adult learners who engage in blended learning outperform learners who only attend a traditional classroom, and learners who receive more than 50% of their contact hours at a distance.

The data

•In 2009-2010, 66% of hybrid learners completed at least one level, compared to 53% each for distance and traditional classroom learners.

•“In 2010-2011, 76% of hybrid learners had level completions, compared to 60% each for distance and traditional learners.

•In 2011-2012, hybrid learners “still had the highest percentage of completion (73%), but distance learners outperformed traditional classroom learners for the first time (60% for traditional classroom learners; 66% for primarily online learners).

Changes in state ABE DL policy

•Computer use policy being updated to include/allow use of PPT and Excel instruction in ABE

•Digital literacy recognized as core skill area

•Proxy vs. clock hours

DL Basics and Integrating Digital Literacyinto the ABE Classroom

•Online resources for managers, teachers, and support staff

•DL Basics is an online, self-paced Moodle course available on the Minnesota Literacy Council’s online training site. There are different modules available for teachers, administrators, and support staff. Three to five CEUs are available for completion depending on your role. It is required that staff from every program providing DL in MN complete this introductory course.

Learn how

To embed digital literacy into ABE through the online course!

The world we live in…

How do you use computers in your life?

Commonly online:–monitoring medical information–renewing your driver’s license –banking–tracking your child’s school assignments

Digital literacy in today’s world…

•79% of students are required to submit or access lessons online, and 29% of teachers report that they integrate social media into their coursework—a number that rises to 80% for college professors1

•Four of the seven fastest growing jobs directly require technology skills, and 80% of Fortune 500 companies only accept online applications. 2

1 & 2 United Way, 2014

Digital literacy in today’s world…

3 U.S. Department of Commerce, 2008

GED and Adult Diploma students must have digital literacy skills!

Do your students regularly use computers under your guidance?

Turn to a partner and share:

•One way your students have used computers under your guidance

•What was the activity? What preparation did you do? How did it go?

•Challenges and successes that occurred

What stops you from having your learners use computers (or use them more frequently?)

Would you like to learn more, but don’t have the time?

Why take an online course?

•Learn from work, home, or anywhere you have Internet access

•Learn at your own pace – you can start/stop as you need

•Earn CEUs

•Keep up with MN state standards

What does the course cover?

•Northstar Digital Literacy Standards and Assessments (take before or during online course)

•Best methods for digital literacy integration as shown by research

•Examples from ABE, ELL, GED and math teachers on how they embed digital literacy into their teaching; resources including websites and activities are given

•Evaluating a sample lesson plan that incorporates digital literacy

Let’s take a look:

• Go to online.themlc.org

• Login or create a new account (only requires email and password)

• Find the course:

Take a look at the actual course…

Digital Literacy in the ABE Classroom

Thank you!!! Any questions?

The next step in PD

• If you complete DL Basics and you want more distance learning professional development, DL 101 is your next step.

• DL 101 helps programs who are newer to DL programming look at best practices and problem-solve challenges. It is a year-long course that includes a face-to-face meeting in the fall and a series of online discussions and webinars.

• DL 101 success story:

- In 2014-2015, the Minnesota Literacy Council participated in DL 101 and increased their distance learning hours by 33% over the prior year.

The role of DL in the Minnesota Adult Diploma

•This remains a bit of a question mark, but it is something both the Adult Diploma working group and this supplemental service grant will be looking at. Some possibilities:

–Using distance learning platforms in general to raise student skills so that they are able to perform at the D and E CCRS levels

–Using parts of DL platforms such as Mindquest, i-pathways, and Learner Web and using student work or assessment material from these programs as evidence toward completion of an Adult Diploma competency

Adult Diploma and DL - continued

•DL platforms could be especially important for Adult Diploma students who need just one small area of a competency or for those where regular attendance is difficult.

•As we look for something to replace Skills Tutor, one criteria will be how well the program is aligned to and can support Adult Diploma programming.

DL – Essential for Career Pathways and Higher Ed

•Computer skills essential for both

•Needs to be integrated into instructional delivery

•Should focus on developing and encouraging technology related skill development

MABE/MARCS – Supporting DL

•Databases are being rebuilt, but it will be a year before major changes take place

•Ongoing reminders:

–Label DL classes as DL–Use the name of the DL platform in the class name –be careful not to double count hours -- either DL proxy hours or contact hours, not both

Looking forward - 2015 DL Supplemental Services goals

•Find replacement(s) for Skills Tutor, and other outmoded platforms

•Deal with proxy hour vs. online student time - dynamic matching of resources

•Review approved DL platforms for alignment with CCRS adult diploma

•Continued integration of digital literacy within ABE

•‘How to” video regarding use of Northstar

Questions and discussion

DL Supplemental Services Staff

• Renada Rutmanis, Grants Manager: General information; assistance in submission of PD applications; scheduling Professional Development

• Tom Cytron-Hysom, Consultant: Website, Policies and Procedures, Virtual Task Force

• Jen Vanek, Facilitator: DL 101 and 102 for instructors• Adam Kieffer, and Eric Lind: Co-facilitators, DL 101 and 102 for instructors• Susan Wetenkamp Brandt, Consultant: Skills Tutor, i-pathways, GoToTraining

support, and technology training