Digital literacy varies widely among adult education teachers and students alike. All students need to have strong digital literacy in order to be able to transition into postsecondary education, job training, or careers. Adult education instructors must be prepared to teach basic computer skills such as keyboarding, creating and saving files, searching the Internet, and communicating in a digital environment using email or social media. In most programs, digital skill instruction is woven throughout content instruction rather than taught in stand-alone computer skills classes. The traditional roles of teachers and learners blur in the ever-changing world of digital literacy.

From May 2016 through August 2016, Illinois participated in the national ESL Pro Digital Literacy project as a way for teachers to strengthen their own digital literacy and to learn how to integrate digital literacy instruction into their classes. Although this project initially focused on ESL teachers and students, all of its concepts and resources apply equally to ABE/HSE instruction. The ALRC works with the ESL Pro participants and others in Illinois to develop online, face-to-face, and hybrid professional development online courses and workshops to help instructors become more digitally literate.

The ALRC’s Professional Development Catalog lists upcoming workshops and available online courses related to digital literacy.

Tech Learn-and-Share Group

New! Recorded Webinar from March 20, 2020: Tech Learn & Share - Keeping Students Learning and Engaged with Online Learning
This webinar provides information on connecting with students during the Covid-19 pandemic using online resources including i-Pathways, ReadWorks, USALearns, and Google Classroom.

Teachers, program administrators, and computer lab managers are all welcome to participate in this new community of practice. The Tech Learn-and-Share Group provides a forum for asking questions, getting answers, and learning together about educational apps, strategies for integrating technology instruction into adult education, software, hardware, and more. Meetings will be held in-person and virtually 2-3 times per year. Contact Laura Sherwood, lsherwood@cntrmail.org to receive meeting notices.

For more information on digital literacy, contact:

Laurie Martin: lmartin@cntrmail.org

Laura Sherwood: lsherwood@cntrmail.org

224-366-8500

Digital Literacy Resources

Integrating Digital Literacy into English Language Instruction: Issue Brief
This brief discusses digital literacy, what it is, and how it can be integrated into content instruction. Relevant to all areas of adult education.

DigitalLiteracy.gov
The U.S. Department of Commerce's website of "everything digital literacy." Provides loads of links to educator resources for learning and teaching digital literacy.

Tech Tips for Teachers Blog
This blog, produced by a team of expert adult education practitioners, provides articles on using technology to support and enhance classroom instruction. An invaluable resource for any teacher. New posts are added regularly.

Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment
This free online assessment of basic digital literacy skills has nine modules. You might be surprised with what you (or your students) know!

Northstar Learning Guide
This guide contains instructional materials designed to help learners build the basic computer skills defined by the Northstar Digital Literacy Assessments.

GCFLearnFree.org
Find short, free, courses to build digital literacy and navigate the complexities of technology. For teachers and students.