Digital Literacy and Partnerships Integrating the Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment into Libraries, Workforce Cente

1. Digital Literacy and Partnerships Integrating the Northstar Digital Literacy Assessmentinto Libraries, Workforce Centers, and ABE Programs

2. Presenters • Tom Cytron-Hysom, Project Manager • Eric Nesheim, Executive Director, Minnesota Literacy Council • Jennifer Weaverling, Assistant Supervisor, St. Paul ABE – Hubbs Center

3. Outline • Brief overview: Northstar • Digital literacy needs of adults in ABE, libraries, workforce centers, etc. • Integration of Northstar into these systems • Resolving systems issues • Business model • Northstar reporting and database capacities that support collaboration

4. Northstar: An overview • Purpose • Develop basic computer literacy • Demonstrate competency • Create a credential to assist in job search • Target audience • Adults with very low literacy level • Displaced workers without computer skills • Need skills for ABE, career certificates, etc.

5. Features • Online, self-guided assessment with audio • Six modules: Windows, Mac OS, basic computer, email, world wide web, Word • Spanish version available • ADA compliant; closed-captioning available • Infrastructure in place • Comprehensive database and online tools available to sponsors • Creative Commons license

7. Northstar: Partnership is key • Developed in partnership • St. Paul Public Library/St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium • Community participation in development process • Used in partnership • ABE programs • Libraries • Workforce centers • CTEP • Center for Study of Adult Literacy

8. Current Status (July 2013) • 73 sponsor sites have administered 10,490 assessments, awarded 1,539 Certificates • Public sites have administered 58,000+ assessments • Sponsor sites in four states outside Minnesota

9. Digital literacy needs of adults • Lack of basic computer/digital literacy skills are a barrier to employment, re-employment, and higher education. • Searching for and applying for work requires online and computer skills. • 70% of all U.S. jobs will require some Information Communication Technology by 2016 (Mccain, 2009) • Lack of digital literacy skills contributes to poverty and limited employment options.

10. Overlapping needs • The same populations use ABE, libraries, and workforce centers • Clients are often low-income, with limited skills • Lack of basic computer and digital literacy skills are common • These skill deficits can prevent effective use of ABE/library/workforce center resources, and are barriers to employment and further information

11. Integrating Northstar into systems • Libraries • ABE • Workforce centers – BTOP; REA ABE Northstar Collaborative Pilot Project • Ensures standardization of offerings among libraries

12. Libraries • MELSA support • St. Paul • Integrated classes taught by CTEP members at library sites • Mobile WORKplace: Classes taught primarily in other languages outside library locations. As of early August, 328 Northstar assessments had been administered, and 675 certificates awarded.

13. The Mobile Lab • 12 laptops and a mobile internet connection • Classes taught in English, Somali, Hmong, Spanish, and Karen • Classes include basic computer, internet, Word, basic coding, etc. – based on need • Many partner sites, including Roosevelt Homes, McDonough, MORE, Karen Association of MN, Highwood Hills Elementary, Parkway Gardens (seniors), Dorothy Day, Ramsey County Correctional Facility, etc.

14. One Site: Dorothy Day • Connection made through Ramsey County Workforce Center • Northstar used as pre-test to highlight skills and guide teaching • Recently housed students – have enough stability that they are very interested in learning, so they see skills/certificate as personally valuable; high motivation • Dorothy Day staff excited over the Certificate

15. Why SPPL finds value in Northstar • Provides valuable evaluation data for programming • Are students learning? • What are they learning? • Used as pre- and post-test • Provides value to students • Motivates students by highlighting skill gaps • Shows what they have learned • Provides Certificate as a credential option

16. Use in ABE • Pre- and post-assessment • Means of assessing student progress and recognizing achievement • Metric for programs • Building digital literacy skills for distance learning and other instruction • Breaking news: Endorsement and financial support from MDE ABE

17. ABE Best Practice = • Integration into core literacy instruction

18. Characteristics of Optimal Integration: 1. Seamless 2. Appropriate 3. Facilitated 4. Empowering Dillon-Marable & Valentine

19. GED®2014 Computer Based Testing Environment

20. Workforce Centers: BTOP • 5-state digital literacy/broadband adoption project funded through ARRA • 30 month project concluded June 30 • Involved 4 workforce centers (Mankato, New Ulm, Minneapolis, Ramsey County) and one nonprofit in Minnesota (PPL) • Northstar used to assess skill development among participants • Use of volunteer tutors under ABE direction

21. Workforce Centers: REA/UI • REA ABE Northstar Collaborative Pilot Project • Lack of digital literacy skills as barrier to employment • Modeled after previous BTOP project • Designed to serve UI participants at-risk for exhausting UI resources • Lack of digital literacy skills identified as major barrier

22. REA/UI - Continued • Incorporates screeners, Northstar assessment, and Learner Web learning plans • Services provided collaboratively by ABE, UI/REA, and workforce centers • Pilot project at Ramsey County, Osseo, Mankato, and Duluth workforce centers • Includes evaluation to assess long term outcomes for participants

23. Other Partnerships • CTEP • Center for Study of Adult Literacy

24. CTEP • Community Technology Empowerment Program • Uses AmeriCorps members to teach technology skills at non-profits, libraries, ABE programs, etc. • Northstar used to assess attainment of outcomes

25. Center for Study of Adult Literacy • Working to provide online instruction for low-skill readers • Specific computer skills needed to access and utilize the online resources • Has requested specially tailored versions of two modules to include only the identified computer skills

26. Commonalities in Collaborative Projects • Involve multiple large systems, with different practices, policies, etc. • Provide different services, but all serve low-skilled adults (among others) • Address issues involving the Digital Divide

27. Systems issues can sink collaboration if not addressed! • Lack of initial communication and buy-in among partners; key individuals not involved early • Poor role definition – who does what/is responsible for what • Decision-making (everyone/no-one in charge) • Timeframe is unrealistic

28. More systems issues • Space and technology limitations • Conflicts in system practices, policies, etc.; centralized vs. decentralized, different end goals, etc. • Differing goals among partners • Unrealistic expectations

29. Questions to Ask • What are we trying to accomplish? • Who needs to be at the table? • Have all needed system partners bought into the project? • Have all key staff bought into the project? • What are the specific roles, commitments, and responsibilities for the project? • Is the time frame realistic?

30. More Questions • What are the means of accountability? • Have barriers having to do with policy, practices, resources, and technological capacity been identified and addressed?

31. Business Model • Philosophy • Minnesota Literacy Council as fiscal agent • Community steering group

32. Northstar tools/database capacities • Can support collaborative projects • Designed to: • Provide feedback for individuals completing the assessment, as well as instructors • Help agencies manage Northstar easily and effectively • Allow agencies to access and use data for a variety of management purposes • Can be used to track data for accountability/evaluation purposes

33. Assessment Results

34. Proctor Tools

35. User Statistics

36. Questions? • http://www.digitalliteracyassessment.org/index.php