1. Information Literacy: Bringing Literacy Online Tom Cytron-Hysom and Jen Vanek

2. Outline Brief summary of Northstar Information Literacy module
Northstar in Action
Use of Northstar statewide - discussion
TOM

3. Discussion What is your knowledge of Northstar? How have you used it?
JEN
Promo video link:

4. Digital literacy needs of adults
77% of jobs worldwide will require some technology skills by (Devex, 2014)
PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills
Adults scoring below Level 1
44% - no computer experience
16% - failed screener for taking the computerized version of the assessment
JEN
Time to Reskills link:
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
Lack of digital literacy skills contributes to poverty and limited employment options

5. WIOA New consideration for AEFLA funding
Supports use of technology: improve teaching, learning, professional development, productivity, and system efficiencies.
New consideration for AEFLA funding
“…effectively use technology, services, and delivery systems, including distance education in a manner sufficient to increase the amount and quality of learning and how such technology, services, and systems lead to improved performance.”
Jen
Link to DoE document on technology and WIOA:

6. Northstar Overview Purpose
Inform instruction to develop basic computer literacy
Demonstrate competency
Create a credential to assist in job search
Target audience
Adults with low literacy levels
Displaced workers lacking computer skills
Need skills for employment, career certificates, etc.
Tom

7. Partnership has always been key
Developed in partnership
St. Paul Public Library/St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium
Community participation in development process
Used in partnership
ABE programs throughout the U.S. (including Corrections)
Community based Organizations
Libraries
Workforce centers
Community colleges
Tom
Background:
Need identified by Saint Paul Public Library 2010 (high demand for services due to recession – didn’t have way to assess digital literacy skills/capacity)
Community process to develop benchmarks, led by St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium
Development/deployment of initial modules
Northstar went ‘live’ summer 2012
Licensed under Creative Commons – noncommercial-NoDerivs License, prevents commercial use, prevents changes, allows use of materials with attribution
Partnership supports sustainability:
Housed at Minnesota Literacy Council (nonprofit)
Annual sponsorships
In Minnesota - $300/$1,000
Outside Minnesota - $500/$1,200
Sponsorships fund three main costs – help desk, tech support, infrastructure (such as servers)
Back end administrative functions are automated
Future development depends on capital costs and fundraising

8. What Northstar is – and isn’t
Northstar is an assessment tool
Northstar is not a digital literacy/basic computer skills curricula
Northstar can be used to assess student progress in mastering skills (pre and post-test)
Northstar can be used in conjunction with various curricula
TOM
Made decision not to develop curricula, as many good digital literacy curricula already exist
Links to curricula on website

9. Features of the Assessment
Online, self-guided assessment with audio
Design includes text and audio features; clean, non-distracting format; simple, intuitive navigation
ADA compliant; closed-captioning available
Supported by administrative and technical infrastructure
Comprehensive database and online tools available to sponsors
All ABE consortia have access
Tom

10. Over 1,155,000 assessments completed
Usage (August 2016)
Sponsoring Site Data
347 sites in 34 states/provinces
202,158 assessments given
101,796 passes
4,084 electronic badges
Public Site Data
Over 1,155,000 assessments completed
TOM
Several states have adopted for all ABE programs statewide (Minnesota, Rhode Island, Kansas)
Assessment results consistent since initial release, supporting validity/reliability of assessments

11. Modules Available
TOM

12. Discussion Information Literacy What is it? Why is it important?
What are the big challenges in this area for your students?
Jen
Watch first 1:35 of video

13. Information Literacy Module
Standards & Process
Literature review and focus groups to define standards.
Iterative cycles of team collaboration, revision, feedback from national experts, revision to revise standards and then create items, and then build the module.
Jen
Link to standards – view only:
Describe development process…. Literature review to find research based descriptions of information literacy and better understand alignment with PIAACs PSTRE, two focus groups with community experts and stakeholders to align findings from lit review with needs and ideas of stakeholders, qualitative coding process to find themes from lit review and focus group data. Team meetings to refine list of standards, review/feedback from national experts on ABE, digital literacy, ELLs.
Show standards. Begin to think about how you might teach them..

14. Let’s try it! Demonstration of New Module
Jen -
Let’s try it!

15. Northstar in Action Adult Diploma
Digital literacy is integrated into Employability and Career Development
Modules required: Computer Basics, Windows or Mac OS, , Internet, Word, Information Literacy
TOM
Jump to LibGuide

16. Curricula resources LibGuide
Designed to be comprehensive, at a basic level
Review in LibGuide
Jump to LibGuide

17. Northstar in Action Integration in general instruction
Digital literacy best integrated rather than stand-alone
Online training resource: Integrating Digital Literacy in the ABE Classroom (provides many specific ideas for students at all levels)
TOM
Jump to

18. Northstar in Action Looking to the future
Provide versions of Office modules corresponding to Windows 10 and Word, Excel, PowerPoint 2016 – early fall
Update to html5 – next two years
TOM
Jump to LibGuide

19. Questions?
Tom Cytron-Hysom Jen Vanek
TOM/Jen