1. MnSCU Spring Leadership Conference May 29-30, 2014 Karen LaPlant Hennepin Technical College Sheri Steinke Normandale Community College

2. MnSCU Digital Literacy Efforts – How Well Do You Know Your Students’ Computer Skills?

3. Agenda 1. Introduce the work of the MnLC Digital Literacy work group, and its goal (5 min) 2. Present what Normandale Community College is doing in this area (15 min) 3. Present what Hennepin Technical College is doing in this area (15 min) 4. Q&A and discussion about how campuses might work together to develop and share practices for assessing first year students (15 min)

4. Normandale AQIP Project Blueprint for student success MnLC Dream Team Campus Workgroup Websites, videos, and D2L Shell Course Implementation Lessons Learned 1. Ongoing 2. Buy-in 3. Program Requirements

5. MNLC State-Wide Group Website Resources Website Resources

6. Northstar Updates Minnesota Based and ongoing funded project Update on social medial assessment May 2014social medial assessment Allows for digital badging Completion Certificates Cost

7. Why is Digital Literacy Important?

8. Northstar Digital Literacy Enhancing Basic Computer Skills for Adults

9. Digital literacy needs of adults Low computer/digital literacy is barrier to education and employment Searching and applying for jobs requires online and computer skills By 2016, 70% of all U.S. jobs will require some sort of technology skills (McCain, 2009) Low computer/digital literacy limits employment options and contributes to poverty

10. Target Audience Adults with low literacy levels Displaced workers without computer skills Other adults needing digital literacy skills for career degrees, diplomas and certificates

11. The Northstar Digital Literacy project is designed to help adults: Develop basic computer literacy Demonstrate basic digital competency Obtain a credential to assist in job search

12. Reasons Knowing how to use computers is important in everyday life Whether applying for jobs online, reading the news, banking and paying bills, searching for information, or communicating with others Digital literacy is increasingly part of basic literacy

13. Northstar Project Sponsors

14. Northstar: Overview Purpose Demonstrate competency(with credential option) Target audience Adults with low literacy levels Displaced workers lacking computer skills Others needing skills for employment, career certificates, etc.

15. Six sets of standards Basic computer use Internet Windows OS Mac OS E-mail Word processing

16. Northstar: Features Online, self-guided assessments with audio Six modules: Basic Computer, Internet, Windows OS, Mac OS, E-mail, Microsoft Word Simple, intuitive design with audio & text features ADA compliant; available with closed-captioning Administrative functions and tools for tracking use data Creative Commons license Low cost

17. Current Status (May 2014) 114 sponsor sites have administered over 25,000 assessments and awarded 3,700 certificates Sponsor sites in eleven states outside of Minnesota Public sites have administered 200,000+ assessments Validity/reliability confirmed via consistent assessment results since initial release

18. Pre- and post-assessment Means of assessing student progress and recognizing achievement Building digital literacy skills for distance learning and other instruction Uses

19. 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 Value in Northstar

20. Designed to: Provide feedback for individuals completing the assessment, as well as instructors Help 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 and evaluation purposes Northstar tools/database capacities

21. The Assessments include Online, self-guided modules Audio instructions for each module Spanish language versions available Close-captioned version available Adults can take the assessments at an approved sponsoring organization that has met specific standards

22. Assessment Results

23. The Certificate Only approved sites can proctor the assessments for awarding the Northstar Digital Literacy Certificate Certificates can be awarded for successful completion of each module (85% passing score)

24. Sponsor Sites In addition to awarding Certificates, sponsor sites will be able to access: Detailed data on individual learners Summary data for their site

25. Proctor Tools

26. List of available reports for sponsor sites

27. Project Goal Learners will have option to earn digital badge in addition to paper certificate Badging represents new perspective on credentialing Recognizes that much learning happens outside of formal education due to flexibility of Internet-based learning opportunities Badges offer portability (can be accessed online from anywhere)

28. Northstar: Coming Soon Social Media and Excel Basics modules Digital badging option Enhancements to public website Expanded reporting features

29. Upgraded Website

30. Progress Social Media module: Developed benchmarks and designed module; now in pilot phase Redesign and upgrade of website in progress Reporting functions improved and expanded Preparing to develop online help and training manual Completed design of visual icons Completed infrastructure/coding work Badges launch in June year as new website is active

31. Lynda.com Atomic Learning All students and employees Integrates within D2L Digital Literacy included Can host in-house training Lower Cost Other Online Resources

32. Charting the Future Digital Literacy aligns with 4 of 6 Recommendations: 1. Dramatically increase the success of all learners, especially those in diverse populations traditionally underserved by higher education. 3. Certify student competencies and capabilities, expand pathways to accelerate degree completion through credit for prior learning, and foster the award of competency- based credit and degrees.

33. Charting the Future Recommendations-continued: 4. Expand the innovative use of technology to deliver high quality online courses, strengthen classroom instruction and student services, and provide more individualized learning and advising. 5. Work together under new models to be the preferred provider of comprehensive workplace solutions through programs and services that build employee skills and solve real-world problems for communities and businesses across the state.

34. Thank you for coming today! Karen LaPlant karen.laplant@hennepintech.edu Sheri Steinke sheri.steinke@normandale.edu QUESTIONS?