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NEW! A rubric for a Google Sites project 

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NEW! A rubric for a Google Sites project 

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Nancy Hurley created a wonderful rubric as a guide for her accounting students for their research project. For more information on her project, visit the discussion board where she posted an excellent description. (Thank you, Nancy for sharing this!)

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The Best Text-to-Speech Apps and Tools for Every Type of User (According to PC Mag)

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The Best Text-to-Speech Apps and Tools for Every Type of User (According to PC Mag)

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Who can benefit from using text-to-speech? A few examples for those with:

- Visual impairments may have difficulties (or be unable to) see what's on their screen.

- Physical impairments that make navigating a challenge or impossibility.

- Very basic reading skills or dyslexia but who understand spoken language.

PC Mag's article provides information on applications for Windows, MacOS, Microsoft Office, Android and Apple mobile devices.

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How to use Google Drive with your students

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How to use Google Drive with your students

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This is one teacher's brief description of how he uses Google Drive in his class. You can look for one or two that would apply to (or create) communication or exchange among students and with you. Using Google Drive in the Adult English Language Learner Classroom - Pushing The Edge (It says 'with Adult English Language Learners' but it' actually for any class.)

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Google Drive has been the foundation of my adult English Language Learner classroom. It's been key to fostering student independence, collaboration and digital literacy skills. Check out how I use it in my class as well as my key learnings along the way.

It's the beginning of a new year and my new class of adult English Language Learners are poised with Microsoft Word and their USBs. They're keen on worksheets and being told how to do everything, step by step.

Let's take a different path, I think to myself, imagining a class of independent learners, who collaborate and support each other, confident in their use of cloud-based technology tools to publish and share their work.

Let's use Google Drive, I decide.

It's a huge challenge though, getting students on board with Google Drive, along with the different teaching process involved. It's a challenge that sees me (and them) frustrated on many occasions, questioning whether I need to wind back my expectations.

Looking back now at the end of the year however, I'm pleased that I stayed the course. Google Drive was a favourite among students in their end of year Tech reviews.

So how did I use Google Drive in my classroom, and what were my key learnings? That's what I'll detail in this post.

What is Google Drive?

It's perhaps best to think of Google Drive as an overarching container (or house). Inside it are Google Docs (like Microsoft Word), Google Sheets (like Microsoft Excel), Google Slides (like Powerpoint), Google Sites (which enables you to create simple websites), and Google Forms (excellent for assessment, quizzes, and gathering info).

The beauty of Google Drive is that it's readily available wherever you are - on all your devices - if you've installed the Google Drive app.

All materials created in Google Drive can also be shared. This enables others to VIEW (but not edit) or EDIT your documents or materials.

To get started with Google Drive, everyone in your class needs to have a gmail account. I set up a personal account specifically for the class that I'm teaching. Each account is allocated 15 gigabyte for storage which has been plenty for me even with the video and audio I store in my Google Drive.

My Google Drive Set-Up

Once my students have created a gmail account, I ask them to go to Google Drive.

Then I ask them to create a folder in Google Drive, and to give it their name and class abbreviation (i.e. Greg Curran C3). Then I ask them to share this folder with me (giving me Edit access, so I can correct and conference their work). Anything that is now placed in this folder will be automatically shared with me.

Inside that main folder, students create sub-folders. Each folder corresponds to a Learning Module, along with other key teaching areas. Students are then expected to keep their work organised in these folders.

Teaching with Google Drive
Teacher Organisation
I explicitly link each piece of class work to our Learning Modules so that students know which folder it belongs in. By mid-year, students were asking, 'which folder does this go in?' if I forgot to label it or tell them where it belonged.

I create a Google Site (website) for each class that I teach, and house all our teaching materials on it. Google Sites makes it easy to insert such materials especially if they're already housed in your Google Drive, or you can upload them from another location.

In terms of website organisation, I create a webpage for each Learning Module and key teaching areas.

It's important to note, that anything on your website will be publicly available, unless you apply restrictions. That's what I do, and here's how I do it.

Firstly I create a website folder in Google Drive which I share with my class gmail list (See Sharing below for how to create a class list). Next, I put each resource and document - that I'm going to share on my class website - into the shared website folder. This way, only my students will see the materials on my website. Should others stumble across my website, they'll see blank pages only.

Be aware however, that any text directly entered onto the site will be visible to the public. Should you wish to keep any text private, enter it into a Google Doc that you only share with your students. Then insert that shared document onto your class website.
Student Organisation
My students are expected to keep all the materials they create in Google Drive, whether they're documents, photographs, slideshows, videos or audio materials. In respect to the latter, students immediately upload them from their mobile devices to the appropriate Google Drive folder once they've been created and/or finalised.
Sharing
Sharing with your class is easiest if you create a class list. Here's how to do it.

Log into Google Drive. Then do a Google search for Google Contacts. Here you can create a class contact list based on your students' gmail addresses. Once you've created a class list, you can share each piece of work or resource with the list.

In terms of student sharing, as stated earlier, students need to place each of their work-items, in the relevant Learning Module folder. That work is then automatically shared with me - if they've created an overarching folder that's shared with me.

The sharing function within Google Drive is also beneficial for group projects or tasks, and for gaining feedback from peers in class.
Timetabling
On the front page of my Google Site, I include a weekly timetable that contains hyper-links for each lesson across the day. That way, students have ready access to all teaching materials whether they're in class or not.

I can also readily change the class timetable (via the original Google Doc) and students can automatically see the latest version on the website - if they refresh the page.
Conferencing
Google Docs enables you to read and make SUGGESTIONS in student work. I don't find this function especially useful however as students often 'accept all' changes without reviewing their work.

Google Docs also enables you to make comments. I find this function useful for annotating texts - as a class. I can highlight meanings of words, detail the purpose of particular sentences, link to other relevant information that help understand the text. Students can also make a copy of the text, and add their own annotations.

I also use the comments function to add questions and suggestions to student work, and encourage students to get peer feedback as well.

When I conference with students, I copy their existing work within the document they've submitted to me. I name it, ' XXXXX corrected version'. As we discuss their work, I encourage students to type in questions, things to attend to or to follow up, and also to make changes.

Early on, I lead this conferencing process and assume more control of the keyboard. My goal however, is that students take on more and more responsibility so that they're in control of the keyboard and the editing process.

Some of my students then compare the two versions of their document (the first draft, and the corrected version) identifying common grammar and spelling errors, as well as structural issues that they investigate for homework.
Assessment
One of our common learning modules involves filling in forms and that's where Google Forms comes in handy. It's easy to create forms and share them with students. Google Forms then creates handy spreadsheets that summarise the data gathered. This aspect can be useful in respect to student responses in assessment tasks (if they've been created in Google Forms).
Student Portfolios
As students became more familiar with Google Sites through our class website, I encouraged them to build their own websites showcasing their best work across the semester. Many of my students never thought they could create a website. Google Sites made it relatively easy for them to do so.

We then had a End of Term Showcase Day and invited senior managers to visit. Students loved being able to show what they'd created, and talking through their creative/work process. It was a form of conversation that they weren't used to having as students, where they were seen as having much more agency than usual.
Screencasts and Peer Tutoring
When teaching with new technology tools like Google Sites, there's often lots of questions and things can go awry. As much as possible, I encourage students to problem solve themselves, or if they learn something - to teach someone else.

I have also created Screencasts of common tech tasks (ie. how to add a video or audio file to Google Sites). A screencast is a video recording of your computer screen as you go through a process step by step.

There are a number of free screencast tools. I use Screencastify. Once you've created some screencast videos, make use of them. Refer students to them when they have a question, and don't get trapped into explaining the process once more. I think it's also useful to encourage students to create their own 'how to' videos.

I've become especially mindful this year, of student skill (or lack thereof) in relation to teaching their peers. Often it tends towards, 'here let me do it for you.' As part of a Volunteer Tutor Training Program my class has been involved in, we've been teaching students tutoring techniques.

As teachers we modelled tutoring techniques. Then students had a go, which we videoed. Watching back the videos with them, we were able to identify their strengths as well as aspects to improve. Students then had another go based on the feedback given to them, leading to significantly improved performances.

This approach of training English Language Learners (ELL) to support their peers is something that I think would be beneficial in more of our ELL classrooms.

Teaching with Technology Tools

I'm passionate about building the digital literacy and citizenship skills of my English Language Learners, and have written many posts about such.

Check out my Digital Literacy posts here;

Check out my Teaching English Language Learner posts here;

Check out my Using Seesaw with English Language Learners (a THREE PART SERIES).

Listen to my Education Podcast

I host and produce the podcast, Pushing The Edge with Greg Curran. I talk to educators and community workers who are passionate about social justice, inclusion and innovation. Listen in iTunes, Spotify or your favourite podcast app.

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Using Google Drive in the Adult English Language Learner Classroom - Pushing The Edge

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Google Drive has been the foundation of my adult English Language Learner classroom. It's been key to fostering student independence, collaboration and digital literacy skills. Check out how I use it in my class as well as my key learnings along the way.

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Sites to learn digital literacy in Spanish

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Sites to learn digital literacy in Spanish

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DigitalLearn - mostly basic skills. In the top left of the page, click Español.

Cómo Llenar Una Solicitud de Empleo - video

How to Write a Professional Email - video

Do you know of more? Please add them in a comment below!

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DigitalLearn

https://www.digitallearn.org/courses/microsoft-word

Main page: https://www.digitallearn.org/

Learn My Way

I just want to say that I LOVE this site! Working With Office Programs is a great general introduction to the functions and uses of office software in general. No specific focus on Word but addresses key features. Interactive. Requires a free account to access.

https://learnmyway.com/explore-the-subjects/working-with-office-programs

Main page: https://learnmyway.com/

Some programs like GCFGlobal:

https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/word/getting-started-with-word/1/#

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Have you been wondering which digital literacy skills to focus on to help them meet their goals? This extremely useful spreadsheet contain lists for various purposes students have. Created by the Seattle Digital Equity Initiative, shared via the EdTech Center @ World Education.

https://edtech.worlded.org/resource/sdei-skills-checklists-for-diverse-learners/

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Generative artificial intelligence and adult education - NEW: Open Prompt Book written by educators! See last link.

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Generative artificial intelligence and adult education - NEW: Open Prompt Book written by educators! See last link.

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Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are making their way into education. What is it? What are considerations for using it? What are examples of how it's being used in adult education? The EdTech Center @ World Education has resources to address these questions:

AI For Education - EdTech Center @ World Education

See especially the following recorded 30-minute webinars:

EdTech Bytes: Generative AI “Zero to Hero” - EdTech Center @ World Education - The first 30 min. session in this four part series provides an overview on AI technologies and the emergence of Generative AI, and why it matters for educators. The webinar also covers ChatGPT’s role as a catalyst in raising awareness and drawing attention to artificial intelligence.

EdTech Bytes Generative AI: “Power of Open” - EdTech Center @ World Education - During the second webinar, we looked at the meaning of “open” and “ownership” while reflecting on the ways technology has and continues to shape our ability to create and share!

EdTech Bytes Generative AI: “Making it Work” - EdTech Center @ World Education - The third webinar in this series features educators and employers that are using generative AI tools in their workflow, their insights, and lessons learned.

Open Prompt Book - A group of educators experimented with generative AI-enabled tools like chatbots and image generators to learn and explore together. Their work and insights have been compiled in the Open Prompt Book from CampGPT. Throughout this prompt book, you’ll learn more about generative AI, what educators use it for, and key tips and tricks. The “Try It Out” links enable you to try the prompts in your own account (links for ChatGPT and Bard are provided).

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The AI for Learning and Work initiative is dedicated to exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and education, and how it can shape the future of the way we live and work. On this page, you can access open resources, professional development offerings and opportunities to get involved.

World Education is committed to advancing digital equity and is leading efforts to build capacity in all areas of the digital equity ecosystem. The world is rapidly changing due to advances in AI and digital technologies, and we believe that education must keep pace to prepare learners for the challenges and opportunities ahead. As a continuation of that work, this initiative provides educators, learners and other stakeholders with valuable insights, resources, and guidance on leveraging AI in the education and training landscape.

Join us on this exciting journey as we explore the possibilities and challenges of AI in education. Together, we can shape a future where technology and learning intersect seamlessly, empowering learners worldwide to thrive in the digital age. For more details, please contact Rachel Riggs at rachel_riggs@worlded.org and stay updated on this emerging area of practice by joining the #AIforAdultEd conversation on LinkedIn!

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AI for Learning and Work - EdTech Center @ World Education

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The AI for Learning and Work initiative is dedicated to exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and education, and how it can shape the future of the way we live and work. On this page, you can access open resources, professional development offerings and opportunities to get involved.

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You may have heard that Google will retire Jamboard sometime late 2024. Sad! See the discussion on substitutes to consider and join LINCS (free!) to add your own suggestions.

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DART: Digital literacy lessons for beginner language learners

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DART: Digital literacy lessons for beginner language learners

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Digital Access and Resilience in Texas (DART) is a collection of lessons organized into eight units: Keyboard, Security, Parts of a Computer, Using a Computer, Going Online, Creating Accounts, Safety, Searching, and Troubleshooting, along with a review. It's designed for lower-level adult English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. (Finally! Materials for this level!)

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Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) IMPORTANT UPDATE - APRIL 2024

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Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) IMPORTANT UPDATE - APRIL 2024

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The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a federal program. It stopped accepting applications/enrollments in February. Following is a summary of what's happening over the next few months. (See the FCC's information sheet for full information.)

April 2024: Last month households will receive full ACP benefits

May 2024: ACP households may receive a partial ACP discount from their internet company.

After May 2024: If Congress does not provide additional funding, the ACP will run out of funding and ACP households will no longer receive the ACP benefit.

Other options: For other options for these and other students, see the below post.

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Providing digital access for learners with all abilities

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Providing digital access for learners with all abilities

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After reading the introduction, scroll down to select a (dis)ability. Read to learn more, then in the Resources section below it, click Assistive Technology Examples. Thanks to the Virginia Adult Learning Center!

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Inclusive Virginia - Providing access to adult education for learners with all abilities

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Welcome to Inclusive Virginia!

This website provides adult education program leadership, staff, and instructors with information, instructional strategies, resources, and accommodations for providing access to effective adult education for all learners seeking adult education opportunities.

Please note that the information provided on this site is to help educators support learners with varying needs. Educators, unless certified to do so, are not qualified to diagnose {dis}abilities and should not attempt to do so.

Mission Statement

The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center's (VALRC) inclusion website's mission is to provide adult education programs with resources and support when working with learners with different abilities to ensure all learners have better access to education and educational materials.

Please note that VALRC is committed to providing accurate and up-to-date information on differing abilities, instructional strategies, resources, and accommodations. We strive to continue to update the information on this website. If you identify information that is not up-to-date or that is missing, please contact us at vdesk@vcu.edu .

Operationalizing Accessibility

Everyone needs access to goods, services, information and communication. But not everyone faces the everyday barriers that can hinder accessibility. The population that we're talking about that has access and functional needs, might include people with disabilities (including sensory, cognitive, and mobility disabilities), individuals with limited English proficiency (or who do not use English as their first language), older adults, children, and individuals with limited access to transportation.

Accessibility components need to be built in from the start of a design of a product, program, or curriculum in order to make sure that accessibility is embedded in everything that we do. When we're thinking about accessibility as a whole, it's really important to remember that without accessibility, there can never truly be inclusive or equitable. Because we want to make sure that we're addressing systemic issues of equity, accessibility has to be one of our considerations.

Learn more about Operationalizing Accessibility by watching this overview video by Karen Brimm, Interpreter Services Program Manager at the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. (Former Access and Functional Needs Officer for the Department of Emergency Management.)

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This website provides adult education program leadership, staff, and instructors with information, instructional strategies, resources, and accommodations for providing access to effective adult education for all learners seeking adult education opportunities. Please note that the information provided on this site is to help educators support learners with varying needs.

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Padlet discussion board (Check out the 2023 updates!)

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Padlet discussion board (Check out the 2023 updates!)

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One of the easier-to-use discussion boards for you and for students! Choose the layout that's best for your activity. You/students can use Padlet's video or audio recording tool, post documents, comment on others' posts, multimedia, and much more! It supports over 40 languages. (This web page is a Padlet!)

Check out the summer 2023 updates include polling, scheduling posts, and more!

See Help to get started.

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The Digital Literacy Action Plan is comprised of a student self-assessment of digital literacy and a guide to help students make a learning plan to build their skills. Copy both documents and edit them as you wish to match your students' needs. From the EdTech Center @ World Education.

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Digital Literacy Action Plan (DLAP) Tools

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The Digital Literacy Action Plan is an approach to differentiating digital skills instruction and promoting learner agency. Use these links and resources to learn more!

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Digital Literacy courses, programs & resources | Microsoft Digital Literacy

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Microsoft tutorials in plain language with multilingual course materials

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Microsoft tutorials in plain language with multilingual course materials

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Courses are Working with computers and Working and collaborating online, and include closed captioning and transcripts. Scroll down for resources in 12 languages including lesson guides, transcripts, videos, and closed caption files. Also the English SCORM package to import into your course website and to edit.

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Creative Commons license

Microsoft Digital Literacy is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike License which means you may share and adapt this material for non-commercial use as long as you attribute it to Microsoft and license your adapted material under these same licensing terms.

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Digital Literacy courses, programs & resources | Microsoft Digital Literacy

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Discover Microsoft Digital Literacy courses. Learn how to use devices, software, and the Internet to collaborate and utilize information with digital literacy.

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From the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy.

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Since 2001, CBAL has been creating resources and sharing them with our communities, partners, and other literacy practitioners. We believe in collaborating in order to reach more people, so it only make sense to for us to share these resources for free.

We have curriculums for family, adult and senior programs that are available to be downloaded. The literacy field is growing rapidly and thanks to a strong network, supported by Decoda Literacy Solutions, and easy access through digital technology, sharing our resources with you is easy.

In addition to our downloadable resources, we have a YouTube channel that is home to our Literacy on the Go learning series. It is also where you will find our online writing program Telling Our Life Stories (TOLS) program. No matter where you are, learning is at your fingertips!

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Our Resources We believe in sharing what we have learned and developed with our literacy colleagues. There is something for every learner here at CBAL! What resources do we offer? Since 2001, CBAL has been creating resources and sharing them with our communities, partners, and other literacy practitioners.

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MassMATCH lending library for assistive devices

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MassMATCH lending library for assistive devices

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MassMatch | Massachusetts’s Initiative to Maximize Assistive Technology (AT) in Consumer’s Hands

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MassMATCH is the Commonwealth’s initiative to Maximize Assistive Technology (AT) in Consumer’s Hands. Through partnerships with community-based organizations, MassMATCH is currently creating new AT programs and working to coordinate AT services throughout the Commonwealth. MassMATCH is one of 56 st…

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Reduced wifi price for income eligible students

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Reduced wifi price for income eligible students

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- Lifeline

- Internet Essentials

- NDIA

- Mobile Beacon

- Everyoneon.org

- National Digital Inclusion Alliance

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Joselyn Marte from Lawrence Public Schools Adult Learning Center describes strategies for providing wrap-around support and navigation services to high-need students using technology.

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Providing Remote Support & Navigation Services Using Tech Tools - EdTech Center @ World Education

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Adult educator Joselyn Marte describes strategies for providing wrap-around support and navigation services to high-need students using technology.

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Building the Technology Ecosystem for Correctional Education: Brief and Discussion Guide

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Building the Technology Ecosystem for Correctional Education: Brief and Discussion Guide

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This guide discusses key issues in adopting and integrating technology to support instruction in jails and prisons. It describes the components of a state correctional education technology ecosystem, profiles four state ecosystems, and provides a discussion guide for exploring the policy and technical components needed to further expand the use of technology in correctional education programs. May have useful guidance for non-correctional programs.

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LINCS | Adult Education and Literacy | U.S. Department of Education

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Author(s) Organizational Affiliation

This resource is designed to help education and corrections leaders understand key issues in adopting and integrating technology to support instruction in jails and prisons. It describes the components of a state correctional education technology ecosystem (the who, what, why, and how of technology use), profiles four state ecosystems, and provides a discussion guide for exploring the policy and technical components needed to further expand the use of technology in correctional education programs.

This resource is an update to Educational Technology in Corrections 2015, which described how correctional facilities provide access to technology for education programs. With the acceleration of technology use due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reinstatement of Pell Grants, and other legislation, this updated brief and discussion guide focuses on technology access and use in correctional education (e.g., adult education, career and technical education, and postsecondary education). It illustrates how technology use should be student-centered and aligned to instructional goals. The final section, the Discussion Guide, provides a tool for guiding state-level conversations about the policy and technical components needed to develop a state correctional education technology ecosystem. Corrections and education leaders can use this resource to understand the technical and other components necessary to further expand the use of technology in correctional education programs. For example, they also can use it to answer questions related to device selection/maintenance, funding, security, staffing and teacher development, student preparation, teaching and learning, and vendor selection.

Prior training is not required for this resource.

This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user's convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.

Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED's privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.

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Building the Technology Ecosystem for Correctional Education: Brief and Discussion Guide

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This resource is designed to help education and corrections leaders understand key issues in adopting and integrating technology to support instruction in jails and prisons.

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Looking for ways to teach math while integrating digital literacy or to teach math remotely? Be sure to check out these fantastic materials from the math center:

Google's Applied Digital Skills math collection

Remote activities for adult learners

Using digital literacy for open math word problems

Math manipulatives for remote instruction

Virtual manipulatives (Adult Numeracy Network)

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Northstar Digital skills assessment and curricula access is free!

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Northstar Digital skills assessment and curricula access is free!

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**ACLS has procured a statewide subscription so all DESE-funded programs are able to access all materials for free! For information, visit this page.**

Assessments are free to all! In response to COVID 19, they have made lessons available -  these are normally only available for testing centers.

Programs with paid accounts, called testing centers, have access to a learning management system, lessons for teacher-led classes and for independent study, reporting, and more!

Not sure your students are ready for the assessments? Use their screening tool.

Want more info? Visit their home page.

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Want to test what you know? Complete any of the following online assessments.

If you want to save your results to a Northstar location,

If you are not part of a Northstar location yet, but would like to earn a certificate for passing the assessments, find a Northstar location near you.

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Improve your computer skills and prep for your future!

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for those who receive free school lunch or other government benefits.

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Affordable devices for hybrid learning.
Once you've signed your family up for Project 10Million, you can purchase these affordable devices at-cost through your account or at your nearest T-Mobile store.

Samsung Chromebook 4

Lenovo 100e Chromebook

Lenovo 100e Windows PC

TCL Tab 8 LE

During congestion, Project 10Million customers may notice speeds lower than other customers due to data prioritization. Video typically streams at DVD quality (480p).
See full terms

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Free Internet for Students: Project 10Million | T-Mobile

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With Project 10Million, we're providing eligible student households free internet on our expanded network to help fight the homework gap. Learn more today!

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Support for applicants/students who have digital device needs

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Support for applicants/students who have digital device needs

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- Tech Goes Home - Students can enroll in classes at partner sites. Classes include a 15-hr course, and graduates receive a device and the opportunity to get low-cost internet for 1 year.  Become a partner site! Requires instructor to be trained. TGH partners are in a number of cities in eastern MA, and TGH invites those in other areas to contact them about becoming partners.

-Loan devices. Click above for an example contract.

-Buy devices in bulk. Leah recommends Newegg.

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Register your program to be matched with a donor near you. Devices can include laptops, tablets, computers, web cameras, monitors, keyboards, and more. See their FAQ for more information.

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Millions of people are cut off from opportunity because they don't have a computer. At Digitunity, we believe everyone who needs a computer should have one, and that device ownership is the heart of digital equity. Possessing a functioning, connected computer and the skills to use it productively is a basic, fundamental need in today's society.

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The Accessibility Toolkit has guidance on ways to create or modify materials according to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to make them perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

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This collection of resources consists of recommendations and tools for ensuring that various forms of content are accessible for students according to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines and resources are distilled into a set of simpler principles, as captured by the acronym POUR, that define four qualities of an accessible user experience: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

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This collection of resources consists of recommendations and tools for ensuring that various forms of content are accessible for students according to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines and resources are distilled into a set of simpler principles, as captured by the acronym POUR, that define four qualities of an accessible user experience: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

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"

A collection of digital tools you and students can use. Search by the five areas in the above image. Check it out! From the EdTech Center @ World Education.

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Workforce EdTech Tools - Workforce EdTech

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Explore tech tools to accelerate career advancement & lifelong learning and to enhance your capacity to improve career-related skills.

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Searchable repository of over 1,500 activities to support digital skills development. Compiled by educators for educators. Quickly put your finger on what your students and you need! From the EdTech Center @ World Education.

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Digital Skills Library - EdTech Center @ World Education

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The Digital Skills Library is an open repository of free learning resources designed to help all adult learners develop the digital skills needed to achieve their personal, civic, educational, and career goals. The library is managed by the EdTech Center @ World Education. All resources within this library have been curated by educators to align...

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Now available for free Zoom accounts too! Click above for video instructions, below for written instructions. Zoom Live Transcription – Emerson IT Help Desk

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Build in routines for students to strengthen their digital literacy

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Build in routines for students to strengthen their digital literacy

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Example: A couple of teachers developed a plan to regularly use a particular Google application for each skill in their curriculum. (Thanks to Jeff Goumas for highlighting this in the EdTech Strategy Toolkit video!)

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Digital Skill-building by Design: The EdTech Integration Strategy Toolkit

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Digital Skill-building by Design: The EdTech Integration Strategy Toolkit

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This is "a resource to help educators explore sustainable edtech routines — general, repeatable edtech activities  that can be leveraged regularly regardless of context or content..." VERY useful for building digital literacy. Check it out!

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Since March 2020, we have seen widespread adoption of technology by adult educators. Throughout this process, we have seen a gradual shift from "emergency response teaching" - throwing whatever tech tool or platform we could at learners in an effort to keep learning going - to the realization that in order for edtech to be effective and sustainable, there must be strategic rationale behind edtech use.

To support this more strategic approach to edtech integration, as well as recognition of the need to be developing the digital skills of both learners and instructors, the EdTech Center (ETC) is excited to "soft launch" the EdTech Integration Strategy Toolkit. The Toolkit - currently in mobile-app format only - draws inspiration, content, and expertise from a variety of recent and ongoing ETC projects; these include the mLearning initiative (which has been supported in part through finding from the Barbara Bush Foundation's Adult Literacy XPRIZE Communities Competition ), the CrowdED Learning Initiative (funded by the WES Mariam Assefa Fund ), the monthly Distance Education Strategy Sessions , and the Spring 2021 EdTech Maker Space Digital Skills Library project .

The EdTech Integration Strategy Toolkit is a resource to help educators explore sustainable edtech - general, repeatable edtech activities that can be leveraged regularly regardless of context or content and provide predictable experiences for learners- and understand the underlying evidence-based strategies behind their use. It also provides guidance on how to develop learners' digital literacy when implementing these routines by providing sample questions teachers can ask that support direct instruction of digital skills. These questions are designed to help make connections between the tasks learners perform by way of the routine to the underlying digital skills being developed.

To do this, the Toolkit is organized so educators can explore by three points of entry:

BY ROUTINE: This tab allows educators to explore different edtech routines, organized into 5 categories based on what learners are doing within the routine:

Engage & Question (e.g. exploring, connecting prior knowledge, forming inquiries)

Build knowledge (e.g., researching, gathering and analyzing data)

Process & Practice (e.g. mapping, visualizing, trying, questioning, wondering)

Respond & Create (e.g. reporting, demonstrating, presenting)

Assess & Reflect (e.g., defining criteria, monitoring, self-assessing, evaluating progress, reflecting)

BY EDTECH TOOL: This tab allows you to explore various edtech tools, categorized into how they are used, and see if there are currently routines within the toolkit that leverage that tool. (Note: This is the least "complete" of the sections and is something for which we will be actively working to crowdsource content from practitioners in the coming year.)

BY SKILL: This tab allows you to explore based on skills as defined by the Seattle Digital Equity Initiative's Digital Skills Framework . Each skill includes learning resources you can use with your learners to help develop that skill, as well as "I can" statements that help establish relevance with learners.

The routines are based on work the EdTech Center's CrowdED Learning initiative completed in November 2020 developing a curriculum-specific Technology Integration Toolkit as part of an update to Women Employed's Career Foundation curriculum. They also draw from submissions included in EdTech Center's mLearning Resource Hub as well as strategies shared during ETCs monthly Distance Education Strategy Sessions. There will be ongoing additions to the toolkit developed by instructors who complete the IDEAL 103 Building an EdTech Strategy Toolkit (BEST) course .

Each routine includes activity details - the , the , and the of implementing the routine with your learners. Included in the are relevant evidence-based strategies described in the linked Digital Promise's Adult Learner Variability Navigator site. ( See this March 2021 lightning talk from Digital Promise's Medha Tare and Sarah Caciccio to learn more about the Navigator.)

Some routines also include "View" and/or "Copy" links that allow you to see and make a copy of a template you can use to implement the routine with learners, such as this progress monitoring tool built in Google Sheets , which is used for the routine shown in the image.

At the bottom of each routine are details regarding the connected digital skills. This section provides context for explaining the digital skills learners develop as they engage in the routine, including direct questioning prompts you can use to invite discussion around the underlying digital skills.

The "Skills" section/library is currently the most robust of the three sections, and it builds off of the work of our Spring 2021 EdTech Maker Space project, in which nearly 60 educators aligned over 1,200 activities to the 75 skills of the Seattle Digital Equity Initiative's (SDEI) Digital Skill Framework .

The activities within the library draw from GCFLearnFree.org (Goodwill Community Foundation), DigitalLearn.org (Public Library Association), Learn My Way (Good Things Foundation), and Basic Computer Skills MOOC (WISC-Online). Between now and our "official" launch November 12, we will also be adding in projects from Google Applied Digital Skills .

Within the skills library, you can navigate to a specific skill and see which activities align. For each activity, details are provided such as learning modality, source, and mobile-friendliness. You can launch each resource from the app, or copy the URL of a resource so you can share with learners by text, email, or other mode of communication.

Over time, we intend to have a student-facing version of the Digital Skills Library. It will also be integrated into our Spring 2022 update of SkillBlox .

At the moment, you will notice some inconsistencies within the app. That's because this app is a work in progress....and we need your input to make sure we build off of this starting point in ways that make it as useful as possible to adult educators.

Because of this, you will notice that all screens within the app have a "provide feedback" button. This button will launch a form that you can use to provide feedback on anything: ideas for improvement, missing/erroneous links, suggestions for skill alignment updates, etc. Over the course of the next month, you will see lots of changes in real-time...including new activities, updated navigation, and updated images and icons.

Once we've incorporated your feedback, there will be plenty of opportunities to help us add to the toolkit. These include future EdTech Maker Space projects starting in early 2022 as part of our Digital Resilience for the American Workforce (DRAW) initiative , co-creation events, open calls for activity submissions, and more!

The Toolkit app was developed using Glide Apps, the same free, no-code app building tool we have used to develop our Marshall Leveled Reading Program and the Video Math Prep for the GED apps. Because it is a browser-based app, you first will open it within a browser and then need to add the site to your homescreen. Note: You can use the app both on your computer and your phone.

Follow these steps to add the app to your mobile device:

1. Go to https://etctechtoolkit.glideapp.io/ on your mobile device.

2. Once loaded on your device's browser, you will be prompted to add the app to your homescreen. This process is different whether you are on an iOS or Android divide, so Glide offers this nifty video to walk you through the process .

3. Once you've added it to your homescreen, it will appear as an icon just like any other app. All you have to do is tap to launch!

Watch an overview of what's in the toolkit and how to use it, as well as a summary of practitioner feedback we've gathered in the lightning talk below.

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Digital Skill-building by Design: The EdTech Integration Strategy Toolkit - EdTech Center @ World Education

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Since March 2020, we have seen widespread adoption of technology by adult educators. Throughout this process, we have seen a gradual shift from "emergency response teaching" - throwing whatever tech tool or platform we could at learners in an effort to keep learning going - to the realization that in order for edtech to be...

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Ideas for teaching with online documents

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Ideas for teaching with online documents

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Ruth O'Brien-Denly -thank you!

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Civics for All of US Civics for All of US is the new education initiative from the National Archives that promotes civic literacy and engagement. DocsTeach Teach with documents using our online tool. Explore primary sources. Discover fun and engaging teaching activities. Create your own online or print activities for your students!

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Screencasting - record your screen for reusable teaching/instructional videos

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Screencasting - record your screen for reusable teaching/instructional videos

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Uses: video meetings that students can review/those who can't attend can view, instructions for how to access/use a website or complete an activity
Screenpal - (formerly Screencast-o-Matic) free w/15 min limit per upload to their site or $36/yr for unlimited time & full editing tools
Screencastify - free w/30-min limit

Post the videos on a program YouTube account. Check out NSCC ALC's great page. (Thank you Stacy Randell-Shaheen,  Diane Amelia Read, and Kim Hemme!) Have separate channels for each teacher/advisor.

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Lessons and materials on using Chromebooks, Gmail, Zoom, and Google Classroom for both online and in-person teaching formats. Thanks to English for New Bostonians!

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Google App Videos | Englishfornewbostonians.org | Boston

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It's easy to lose track! See p. 2 for one example that can be put in a student handbook and used at orientation. From English Now!

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Copy of Carlos Rosario English Now! Welcome Packet

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Detailed description of how Donna Taylor organized her lesson. Very helpful model! Scroll down to see her post.

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Zoom on smartphones: the student perspective plus how to use lots of features

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Zoom on smartphones: the student perspective plus how to use lots of features

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Mini videos and activities. Thanks to Jayme Adelson-Goldstein and the ESOL C & I Center!

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How-to resources from the Math C & I Center

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How-to resources from the Math C & I Center

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Thank you, Math C & I folks!

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How-to videos from the ESOL C & I Center

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How-to videos from the ESOL C & I Center

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How to download WhatsApp on various devices - great for students! -  how to use Google Forms and Zoom for ESOL instruction. Thanks to the Center!

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Please view our library of recorded sessions below. You will not find all of our courses here as some do not lend themselves to recording due to the nature of the content and others are designed to be delivered as part of a classroom/virtual classroom experience.

Additionally, there are several "how-to" video clips which include adding WhatsApp to your iPhone or Android Smartphone, as well as adding Zoom to your smartphone. Good things to know!

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SABES ESOL PD Center - Session Recording Library

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Please view our library of recorded sessions below. You will not find all of our courses here as some do not lend themselves to recording due to the nature of the content and others are designed to be delivered as part of a classroom/virtual classroom experience.

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Digital literacy lessons for beginner language learners

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Digital literacy lessons for beginner language learners

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Gmail and Drive. Includes captioned video, slides, and assignments. Thanks to Julie Hastings of Portland Community College!

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Please add your tips!

- It helps to catalogue the devices so they can be kept track of easily.

- Devices may need to be 'restored' when returned, so setting up a restore point previously is helpful. (Click for an example for a Windows laptop/PC - see 'Restore from a system restore point.')

- There are services that can be purchased that track the location of devices (click for one I found randomly - I have no experience with them), but colleagues and I have found that loaning to students who are known to be responsible works out fine 99% of the time.

- Have an agreement form for students. For an example, see Northwest Michigan Works! Learning Lab Student Hot Spot/Chromebook Use Agreement.

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This website contains extensive vocabulary lists along with videos and interactive lessons on computer basics, Microsoft Word, email and internet at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels.

This site is a collection of self-directed tutorials for users to increase their digital literacy. Modules are video-based with narration, 6 to 22 minutes long, written at the fourth grade reading level.

Through videos, basic readings, and step-by-step instructions, users can learn about using web browsers, email, navigating Windows 10 and OS X, and staying safe online.

Immigrant Stories is a digital storytelling and archiving project. This curriculum will allow students to create a 3-5 minute digital story about a personal experience using the Immigrant Stories website (https://immigrantstories.umn.edu/). The curriculum includes everything you need to assign the project: a 4-week schedule, lesson plans, a grading rubric, and student handouts.

This course presents foundational information about blended learning, including definitions, strategies, examples, and reflective activities presented in multimedia format. The goal of the course is for participants to have a basic understanding of the different forms of blended learning and how they might integrate them into coursework.

Participants in this course learn about integrating mobile devices into their classroom, distance, or blended instruction. It includes definitions, suggested strategies, examples, and reflective activities. The goal of the course is for teachers to have an understanding of the different ways adult learners and their teachers can use flip-phones, smartphones and tablets for learning both in and out of the classroom.

JobScout is a free online learning platform designed to help users learn basic internet skills that they need to find a job. The website is designed for native English speakers, but with support, is appropriate for high intermediate and advanced English language learners.

This learner-based website contains lists of technology-based vocabulary words that learners can listen to, then check their understanding with matching, fill-in-the-blank, and dictation games.

This self-paced professional development module from LINCS is designed for teachers and administrators interested in integrating digital literacy in their classes and programs for adult English Language Learners.

The Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment is a self-guided, online set of assessments that show an individual's ability to perform basic computer skills in seven skill area areas: Basic Computer Use, Internet, Windows OS/Mac OS, Email, Word Processing (using Microsoft Word), Social Media, Excel, and PowerPoint.

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This website contains extensive vocabulary lists along with videos and interactive lessons on computer basics, Microsoft Word, email and internet at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. This site is a collection of self-directed tutorials for users to increase their digital literacy. Modules are video-based with narration, 6 to 22 minutes long, written at the fourth grade reading level.

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- Evaluate tech tools to make sure they're a good match for your students. (Thank you to Workforce EdTech at Digital US!)

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- Test everything on yourself to see from the student perspective. If possible, have a few students try them and give feedback to give a more accurate sense of how well students will manage it.
- Have a staff technologist, other staff such as the advisor and director, volunteers, and program graduates as tech assistants, especially when onboarding students to a new technology.

- Student bring their own device to the program to make sure it will work with applications used in class

- Socially distant assessments depending on space/resources: drive-thru/parking lot, distanced inside if space allows, by 1-3 students at a time appointment
- To onboard students to tech platforms they'll be using, break the process into steps and send them/cover during a webinar or recorded screencast spaced out over time: 1. Download, log in, and check in with each student; 2: navigate app; 3. how to log in to video meetings; 4: how to navigate video meetings.
- Provide simple instructions with images for accessing materials: text list of step-by-step; create screencast and post to class home base (Google Classroom, Google Doc)
- Be proactive about checking whether students have accessed materials/logged into course. Reach out to check in to see how they're doing/help they need.

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From Amanda Blount, The Literacy Center in Attleboro: We provide limited cellular service to a few students who are unable to pay for that at this time. We utilize data plans on SIM cards that we purchased through a contract with T Mobile.  We installed the SIM cards in Samsung Galaxy tablets and loaned the tablets to our students.

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Multilingual vocabulary for technologies, Google applications, Zoom, plus typical actions

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Multilingual vocabulary for technologies, Google applications, Zoom, plus typical actions

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Many thanks to Wadyla and her colleagues at Framingham Adult ESL Plus! Click to download.

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Microsoft Digital Literacy Course with multilingual captions. Earn certificates.

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Wisdom from programs:

1. How to show Zoom windows during screen share so students can see the control menus - how great is that?

2. Start slowly with just the tools needed for essential communication, such as muting/unmuting, video on/off, and chatting. Ideally, meet individually with each student and a family member they designate as their personal tech support. Practice those tools together. This way, the family member knows exactly what the student needs. Also, model how the family member can teach the student, instead of just doing it for them.

3. The teacher has students practice each tool at the beginning of each class session.

4. Have a volunteer or two attend each session to help students who get lost so that the rest of the class can continue with the teacher. Have the volunteer and student(s) be put in a breakout room.

Scroll down this column for materials to use.

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This form can be sent via a communication app, email, shared via Google Docs, converted to a Google Form, or done as an interview.

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On-demand webinars on all these topics (and more)! 

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On-demand webinars on all these topics (and more)! 

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Busy? Do them when you have time!
https://sites.google.com/view/pspdcondemand/home

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Student-created assessments for their classmates

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Student-created assessments for their classmates

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Many thanks to Sarah Gilleman at the Adult Learning Center/Holyoke Community College!

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Zoom instructions in English and Spanish

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Zoom instructions in English and Spanish

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Copy of Online English Classes_ Zoom Set Up [English-Spanish]

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Keep up with ACLS: Be sure to review Adult Education Policies, Curriculum, and Assessment. Check Mailings for helpful information.

EdTech Center's Strategy Sessions - webinars every 2nd Friday with resources and practices from colleagues. Be sure to see the repository of recorded sessions.

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SAMR Model: Translating in-person lessons into ones students use digital skills for - SAMR model

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SAMR Model: Translating in-person lessons into ones students use digital skills for - SAMR model

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Dr. Puentedura graciously Creative Commons-licenses some of his papers to allow for reproduction on other sites with attribution.

I have taken one of the PDF files and turned it into a slideshow below. I have included links to the original PDF files in case you want to download it from Dr. Puentedura's site.

Bloom's and SAMR:
​My thoughts based on the work of R. Puentedura, A. Churches and L. Nelson

I feel teachers need to both create tasks that target the higher-order cognitive skills (Bloom's) as well as design tasks that have a significant impact on student outcomes (SAMR). A visual to illustrate that follows.

Educators will argue they have seen redefinition tasks that only target the remembering level or have a creative assessment that is only at the augmentation level. Of course that is true, but I believe we should be planning for technology tasks, activities, and assessments that include both the higher levels of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and the transformation area of the SAMR model.

My vision of how the Bloom's and SAMR models work together and intersect follows below.

Bloom's and TECH: My thoughts

Work by others

Videos by others

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SAMR is a model designed to help educators infuse technology into teaching and learning. Popularized by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the model supports and enables teachers to design, develop, and ...

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This practice I made is a bit dated because it's for the old BEST test, but it gives an idea of how it might look. Diana ESL - Writing Test Preparation

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Hotspots act like a modem: they provide an internet connection to devices. The person with the device just needs to enter the hotspot code to connect. Here are a few sources for discounted hotspots:

PCs for People

Tech Soup

Also many cellphones have settings to make them hotspots. (This can drain the battery, so plugging in is best.)

Also, some students are going to their programs and libraries and connecting to their hotspots. While the buildings are closed, they do this from their cars.

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Zoom print and video tutorials in multiple languages

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Zoom print and video tutorials in multiple languages

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Thank you, Sharon from Community Action, Inc.! Comes with all levels of paid plans: Zoom Video Communications Plans & Pricing | Zoom - Zoom Click Full Plan Comparison to see all features included.

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Zoom has a variety of options for creating virtual closed captioning in your Zoom meetings and webinars that provide subtitles for video conferencing. This may be used by participants to easily follow the conversations or to meet accessibility requirements.

In meetings, the host or another meeting attendee assigned by the host can provide manual captioning, an integrated third-party closed captioning service can provide the captioning, or Zoom's automated captions (also known as live transcription) feature can provide automatic captioning through closed caption settings. These same options are available with webinars, although manual captioning can only be provided by the host or a panelist. Any of these captioning options are also viewable in Zoom Rooms.

For more information about viewing closed captioning or live transcription as a participant or attendee, please refer to the user guide.

This article covers:

Prerequisites for manual captioning

Limitations of manual captioning

For webinars, hosts using desktop client versions lower than 5.11.9 can inadvertently cause both manual captioning and automated captioning to be shown at the same time. It is recommended hosts update to version 5.11.9 or higher to avoid this issue.
As a workaround during a live webinar, the host can disable automated captioning to avoid competing captions.

For webinars, hosts using desktop client versions lower than 5.11.9 can inadvertently cause panelists assigned to be a manual captioner to not see the caption window, where they would be inputting captions. It is recommended hosts update to version 5.11.9 or higher to avoid this issue.

Manual captioners can access the caption window if they click on the tooltip that appears when the host has assigned them to caption.

If they missed the tooltip, the host can re-assign captioning to them, which will make the tooltip again.

How to start manual captioning

Start manual captioning in a Zoom meeting or webinar

1. Start the Zoom meeting or webinar that you are hosting.

2. In the meeting controls toolbar, next to the Show Captions icon , click the up arrow icon .

3. Under Host controls, click Set up manual captioner.

4. Under Enable manual captioner, choose On.

5. Select one of the following options:

Assign a participant to type: Assigns a participant to type closed captions during the meeting.

I will type: Opens the closed captioning window for you to manually type closed captions.

Copy the API token: Copy the URL that you can provide to a third-party closed captioning service to integrate the service with your meeting.
Note: These options are greyed out if Enable manual captioner is disabled above.

Assign a participant to type closed captions

As the host, assign a participant to type closed captions:

1. Start a Zoom meeting or webinar.

2. Start manual captioning.

3. Click Assign a participant to type.
The Participants panel will appear.

4. Find the participant who you want to type closed captions and hover your mouse over their name.

5. Click More .

6. Select Assign to type Closed Caption.
Note: This option will not appear unless Enable manual captioner is enabled.

Once the host assigns you the ability to type closed captions, a notification will appear in the assigned participant's meeting controls. To enter closed captions as a participant:

1. In the meeting controls, next to the Show Captions icon , click the up arrow icon and select the Show caption window option.
The closed caption text box will open.

2. Enter the closed captions in the text box.

3. Press Enter to submit your closed captions.

How to use manual captions in breakout rooms

After you start breakout room sessions, participants can click Show Captions in the meeting controls toolbar to view closed captions. If you're the meeting host, we recommend using a third-party closed captioning service if you want closed captions in breakout rooms.

If you want a participant to type closed captions, make sure you assign them permission to type closed caption before starting the breakout room sessions.

Note: Only one participant can be assigned to type closed captions in a meeting; thus, it is only possible to have one breakout session with closed captioning.

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Zoom has a variety of options for creating virtual closed captioning in your Zoom meetings and webinars that provide subtitles for video conferencing. This may be used by participants to easily follow the conversations or to meet accessibility requirements.

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- Google Forms for graded quizzes, reading, writing, and listening (embed a video :-)
- Phone/video meeting and messaging via Zoom, etc. for speaking, listening, reading, and writing
- Have a program YouTube account.  Have each teacher/advisor have a channel. Post screencasts of instructions on how to use tools. Post webinar recordings. Check out NECC ALP's! (Thank you Kim, Stacy, and Diane Amelia!)

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Future Learn Digital Skills Assessment and lessons

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Future Learn Digital Skills Assessment and lessons

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Covers how to handle work situations.

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What's next?

Through Future Edge, Capital One will address the digital skills gap through partnerships, community grants, and support for digital skills training.

Later this year, Grovo's innovative training technology and Future Edge curriculum will be made available to Capital One's nonprofit partners across the country, helping over 5,000 underserved Americans access the skills they need to succeed.

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In partnership with Grovo, Capital One has developed a free and open digital literacy program. This course gives everyone access to the digital skills needed for today's middle-skill roles - jobs that don't require a bachelor's degree, but pay above the national living wage. Start building your skills today!

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Using Formative Assessment and Seat Time Data for Engagement and Retention

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Using Formative Assessment and Seat Time Data for Engagement and Retention

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Scroll down and click on May 13, 2022 – Building Relevance and Engagement to Keep Learners Motivated and Moving Forward. And peruse the other recorded webinars for topics of interest with expertise from across the country.  From the EdTech Center @ World Education.

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Every month, our virtual strategy sessions convene two lightning talk speakers to share innovative edtech and digital equity strategies.

Join our bi-weekly mailing list to get regular updates about the speakers and topics for each session, along with other resources and news.

Access and share recorded lightning talks from nearly 100 EdTech Strategy Sessions in our YouTube playlist.

Explore Past EdTech Strategy Sessions

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EdTech Strategy Sessions - EdTech Center @ World Education

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Since March 2020, the EdTech Center has hosted EdTech Strategy Sessions on a weekly to monthly basis. The virtual strategy sessions convene leaders, practitioners, educators and more to share and discuss your distance learning questions.

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From the IDEAL Distance Education and Blended Learning Handbook (2020) -  the bible for distance ed. and blended learning program development.

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Adapted from digital literacy self-assessments developed by SABES Program Support PD Center and the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN)
This self-rating form is comprehensive and suitable for use in helping teachers determine their own technology competencies. You may want to use the items here as a guide to develop your own checklist that focuses on the skills required by the particular distance education program you are offering.

Access to Technology

1. Do you have a device for teaching that you can use at your local agency, satellite locations, and/or home (if needed)?

2. Do you have access to high-speed internet at your local agency, satellite locations, and/or home (if needed)?

3. Do you have access to other technology needed for the distance education program (e.g., smartphone, tablet, software, applications)?

For each of these areas below, please indicate your skill level integrating these tools/skills into teaching activities and your interest in attending professional development on this topic using the scales below:

Basic Computer Operation

There are some basic skills and knowledge that both you and your students need to have in order to learn with technology, such as start-up steps, using the keyboard, printing, and troubleshooting simple problems.

Productivity Software

These tools allow people to perform various tasks, including creating written documents, graphs and spreadsheets, and presentations. Some popular productivity software includes MicrosoftOffice (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher) and Google Applications (Docs, Sheets, Slides).

Instructional Software

These resources include a wide array of programs, ranging from complete online curricula to those used for specific skill development, e.g., reading, writing, math, work skills, and ESOL.

Assistive Technology (AT)

These tools include assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices. AT promotes greater independence for people with disabilities by enabling them to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to or had great difficulty accomplishing.

Creating learning resources that are
accessible for learners with disabilities

Using Online Resources

Many classes have access to and use the Internet on a regular basis because adult learners need the skills involved for further education, at their places of employment, and for daily life needs.

Communication Tools

People today communicate using a variety of online technology tools. Some examples include email, shared online documents, blogs, and social networking sites.

Video Technologies

These tools include video cameras and other digital media tools as well as video editing software. These tools can be used to create both teacher- and student-generated videos.

Professional Development

Keeping up with and integrating technology into classrooms requires continuous learning and exploring. There are many ways you can continue to learn, including doing research online, subscribing to email lists, using Twitter or other social networking sites, talking to colleagues, attending conferences, and even using this self-assessment tool.

Evaluating and Using New Technologies

One of the most challenging tasks you may face is simply keeping up with current technologies and choosing what is best to use in your classroom and program. Sometimes our students are way ahead of us!

Social and Legal Issues

The instructor serves as a role model when it comes to using technology. This includes knowing and obeying copyright, privacy, and other computer and Internet usage laws; modeling healthy habits while using computers; and thinking and talking about the role of technology in society.

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Appendix D: Computer Skills Assessment for Teachers

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Adapted from digital literacy self-assessments developed by SABES Program Support PD Center and the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) This self-rating form is comprehensive and suitable for use in helping teachers determine their own technology competencies.

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So cool! Here's one example. (Not an endorsement.)

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Foldable Keyboard, iClever BK03 Portable Keyboard with Stand Holder (Sync Up to 3 Devices), Full-Size Bluetooth Keyboard for iPhone, iPad, Smartphone, Laptop, Tablet

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Buy Foldable Keyboard, iClever BK03 Portable Keyboard with Stand Holder (Sync Up to 3 Devices), Full-Size Bluetooth Keyboard for iPhone, iPad, Smartphone, Laptop, Tablet: Keyboards - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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Leslie's program prefers Chromebooks. They teach students about saving info in the cloud, i.e., Google Drive.

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Platform and tool instructional videos for students

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Platform and tool instructional videos for students

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Google Classroom student tutorials in many languages.

Google Classroom, Meet, USA Learns, and more! (Thank you, Hubbs Center @ St. Paul Public Schools!)

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From Sharon from Community Action, Inc. (Thank you, Sharon!): I also found a great voice translator for free called SayHi Translate.  It's a voice translator. It will record what you say and translate it into any language you designate.  I had the student put it on her phone so she and I could easily communicate and the masks were not an issue.

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Tech Tools for Coaches and Navigators (and others as well)

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Tech Tools for Coaches and Navigators (and others as well)

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NCTN's terrific tips and tools for various types of work with students.

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Part 1 instructions and part 2 instructions.  Blog with tips. Video showing how to make links for the objects. BIG thank you to Jayme!

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See 'Digital Skills Assessment' under 'Screening'.

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See 'Digital Skills Assessment' under 'Screening'.

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Want to view captions?

On a computer: (Read all steps first.)
1. Click the video to start it.
2. Click the magnifying glass icon to enlarge it.
3. Near the bottom right corner, click CC.
4. To return here, click anywhere on the webpage.

On a phone:
1. Tap the video (may need to do this twice) to start it.
2. Tap it again to reveal the menu icon (3 vertical dots) and click it.
3. Click 'Captions off' to toggle captions on.

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Video tutorial: How to use Zoom on a phone

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Video tutorial: How to use Zoom on a phone

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Via Amanda!

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ZOOM! Instructions | The Literacy Center

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-Shannon, Community Action Inc.: I decided to use a chat app called KIK.  EASY to use and you don't have to use personal cell phones.

Click for her full review and how she uses it with great success!

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-Quizziz keeps records of results!
- Google Form set up as quiz including automatic grades and responses. Example: Greetings video
- EdPuzzle video with questions. Example: intonation. Help center for tutorials
- Google Voice to keep your work # separate from your personal #. Examples: speaking, reading fluency, etc.). Help page for instructions
- Web meeting (Zoom/Google Meet, etc.) - explaining how a math problem was worked out, pronunciation, etc.
- Padlet. Example formative assessment for math. Support page for instructions