What do we know, what are we learning, what can be taught, and how will we teach?

1. What do we know, what are we learning, what can be taught, and how will we teach? Digital Technologies & Adult Literacy

2. The world we live in We now live in a world that functions increasingly in a technology encompassed mode, and learning and work are less and less accessible to those who cannot use technology. (Power of Technology, p. 2)

3. The world we live in • 79% of adults in the U.S. access the Internet • As of August, 2010, 66% of Americans have broadband, up from 55% in May, 2008 • 63% of families with household income less than $30K are online

4. The world we live in • 40% of American adult Internet users have a profile on an online social network site

5. The world we live in • 85% of American adults own a cell phone or smart phone • More African-Americans and Latinos (87%) own cell phones than whites (80%) • 72% of all owners send or receive text messages • 22% of online Americans used social networking or Twitter for politics in the 2010 campaign • 15 million iPads sold in 9 months

6. The world we live in • Information and communications technologies (ICT) competencies are now essential to many jobs • Majority of jobs in Ontario require some level of ICT competency (OSP, 2009). (Newman p.1) • By 2016 70% of jobs in the U.S. will require some Ievel of ICT competency (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

7. Overview AlphaPlus Literature Review Digital Technology Competency Development

8. AlphaPlus Literature Review • We set out to take a look at the recent literature relating to ILTs, E-Learning and emerging digital technology in education to… • Sort out the terminology • See what ILTs could mean for learning and teaching in ABE • Synthesize the findings and contextualize to ABE • See where the research gaps are so that we can begin to learn more about the opportunities and challenges of ILTs in Adult Basic Education in Canada

9. AlphaPlus Literature Review – One Little Problem… • Very little research on the current state of use of ILTs/E-Learning in Adult Basic Education in Canada !! • Urgent need to look at ILTs/E-Learning grounded in our own programs • Urgent need to look at what Canadian students and Instructors know, want and need !!!

10. Looking at the Literature – What we are learning… • Why talk about ICT, e-learning, blended learning, or ILT and TEL? • ICT in Education means implementing of technology in Teaching-Learning process as a media and methodology. (Adapted from Wikipedia, 2011) • E-Learning encompasses “a wide variety of electronic technologies used for educational purposes, and a wide variety of educational formats and designs”. (Bates, 2009) • Blended Learning “refers to the appropriate combination of instructional media to achieve learning objectives”. (Holden & Westfall, 2010) • Information and Learning Technology (ILT) or Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) – different shorthands for the range of methods of using technology to extend and enhance the learning experience (Becta, 2010)

11. Looking at the Literature – What we are learning… • How e-learning/ILTs can make a difference… • To increase access to learning opportunities/increase flexibility for students • To develop the skills and competencies needed in the 21st century, and in particular to ensure that learners have the digital literacy skills required in their discipline, profession or career – or, put simply, to get work in the future • To meet the learning styles/needs of millennial students • To de-institutionalise learning/to enable self-managed learning ( From a List provided by Dr. Tony Bates in his Blog June 18th 2009)

12. What we are learning about Learning and ILTs • ILTs offer the possibility for much wider access to learning opportunities and options for anywhere/anytime participation in learning • Studies show that adult literacy learners engaging in online learning show significant gains and enhancement of self-confidence, self-direction and independence • Non-traditional modes of teaching/learning support students who did not succeed in the more traditional education system • Ever improving assistive technology helping students with learning disabilitiesMulti-modal approach – developing essential digital skills while learning using ILTs • Collaborative Learning

13. What we are learning about Adult Basic Education • Need to re-think assumptions about delivery • Learners, even those at the lowest learning levels, can participate and succeed in online learning • Blended learning – the combination of face-to-face and online learning works best for adult basic education students • ILT offers many opportunities for new models of teaching and learning in adult basic education and… • Many challenges in supporting instructors to integrate technology in their practice

14. What we are learning about Adult Basic Education • Second digital divide – access, exposure to technologies • Need to consider how to assess/evaluate learning with ILTs • 21st century skills - technological fluency, innovation, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, problem solving, and digital citizenship • What is the role of adult literacy programs and practitioners in supporting learners to acquire these skills? • Need to consider if digital literacy a basic skill?

15. What we are learning about Teaching and ILTs ILTs offer important benefits and opportunities for learning in Adult Basic Education – however instructors need significant support , professional development and training in order to take advantage of the opportunities and to integrate ILTs effective in their practice

16. What we are learning about Teaching and ILTs • Supporting practitioners to effective use and integrate ILTs … • Skills training is not enough – although instructors benefit from concrete examples of technology in use • Effective professional development and training is Instructor centred rather than Techno centric • Instructors must be at the centre of their own learning – learning styles, familiarity and comfort with technology, values etc. must be factored in when planning professional development

17. What we are learning about Teaching and ILTs • Supporting practitioners to effectively use and integrate ILTs … • Instructors need to see how the tech will benefit their students • Instructors need time to experiment and freedom to take risks • Don’t underestimate the value of positive experiences- encourage critical feedback • Continuing Professional Development (CPD) • Enable real opportunities to network with peers and colleagues – to share and learn from one another

18. What we are learning about Teaching and ILTs • Supporting practitioners to effectively use and integrate ILTs … • Canadian adult literacy practitioners are enthusiastic about online learning for professional development • GO online project • Online communities of practice as effective tools to support practitioner learning • Possible professional development models • Evaluating the effectiveness of professional development

19. Where are we heading & How do we get there • Some ideas….. • Information sharing – collaborative learning in Online Communities of Practice • National Consortium to exchange knowledge, share our learning, questions, resources, for learning and teaching with ILTs • Laptop for every adult literacy practitioner ??

20. Digital Technology Competency Development • Beyond Essential Skills Computer Use • Use Technology competency development • Development of Digital Technology competency • Exploring the role of digital technologies in programm delivery & professional development

21. Canada's Essential Skills Computer Use and more “Computer use is the ability to use computers and other electronic equipment (e.g. fax machine, calculators, and automated bank machines. The importance of strong computer use skills continues to grow as we become increasingly dependent on technology to carry out our work and daily activities.” ES Computer Use too narrowly defined and out-of-date considering the current use of digital technologies in work, family, and community contexts. Scan of literature and framework resources about technology skills in educational contexts in U.S., U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Skill levels, computer list, and computer use self-assessment of the Ontario Skills Passport and intake module of LearnToLearn (L2L)

22. Use Technology competencydevelopment Task Collection in consultation with literacy programs Task Sorting into the use of digital technologies in terms of - discrete sets of skills related to occupational skills - foundational/enabling skills to perform tasks within other competencies using digital technology as a medium Development of Task Groups and Sorting of Task Examples Review of Task Groups - natural connection to task groups in other competencies, i.e the same task but performed with a digital technology medium - transitional value in enabling learners to use technologies with the same ease and effectiveness as print-based materials

23. Use Technology competencydevelopment Task Scaling with reference to task complexity Context: prior knowledge and experience a person brings to a situation can make a significant difference to performance • Vocabulary • Contexts • Task content • Text content Text and Task Complexity: continous text and documents including visual displays and interaction required by a person • Text length and complexity • Process required responding to a question • Information “requested” by the task • Inference required to complete the task

24. OALC Use Technology competency development

25. References AlphaPlus Tech Podcasts http://podcasts.alphaplus.ca/ Bates, T. (2009) Trends and Developments in e-learning http://intranet.contactnorth.ca/en/data/files/download/All%20Staff%20-%200910%20FY/2009_September_30_Trends_Developments_eLearning.pdf Bates, T. (2010) Fast Forward: How Emerging Technologies are Transforming Education and Training http://www.contactnorth.ca/en/data/files/download/pdf/FastForward.pdf BECTA (2009) Continuing Professional Development in ICT for Teachers: A literature review http://partners.becta.org.uk/upload-dir/downloads/continuing_cpd_ict.pdf Bynner, J. et al (2010) The three divides: The digital divide and its relation to basic skills and employment in Portland, USA and London England http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=164 Davis, N. & Fletcher J. (2010) E-learning for adult literacy, language and numeracy: summary of findings (New Zealand) http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/tertiary_education/76972 Fahy, P J. & Twiss, D. (2010). Adult literacy practitioners’ uses of and experiences with online technologies for professional development. http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/JARL/Jarl-Vol3Article2.pdf Getting Online: Distance Education Promising Practices for Canadian Literacy Practitioners (GO Project) (2007-2009) http://www.nald.ca/gettingonline/ Langille, L M. (2004). Adult Literacy Educators’ Perceptions of Technology Integration. http://www.nald.ca/library/research/adtlitti/adtlitti.pdf McCain, M. (2009). The Power of Technology to Transform Adult Learning http://www.caalusa.org/POWER_OF_TECH.pdf Miner, Rick (2010). People with jobs; Jobs without people. http://www.collegesontario.org/research/research_reports/people-without-jobs-jobs-without-people-final.pdf Porter, P. & Sturm, M. (2006). Crossing the Great Divides www.alphaplus.ca/en/web-tools/online-publications-a-reportsgroup1/crossing-the-great-divides.html Silver-Pacuilla, H. (2007) .Assistive Technology and Adult Literacy: Access and Benefits http://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/ann_rev/silver-pacuilla-04.pdf Silver-Pacuilla, H. (2008). Investigating the Language and Literacy Skills Required for Independent Online Learning http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED505199.pdf Warschauer, M. & Liaw, M-L. (2010). Emerging Technologies in Adult Literacy and Language Education http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/technology_paper_2010.pdf

26. Contact Information Maria Moriarty mmoriarty@alphaplus.ca Matthias Sturm msturm@alphaplus.ca Marian Thacher mthacher@otan.us