The Impact Brief introduces findings that illustrate the tremendous positive impact that learning digital literacy can have on adult learners’ lives. The Research Briefs series highlight key findings about how underserved adults acquire digital literacy skills, and include quotes from participants and practitioners. The Briefs are designed to be accessible by practitioners, program administrators, and policy makers to inform and enhance digital literacy programs

Castek, Jill

Jacobs, Gloria

Pendell, Kimberly D.

Pizzolato, Drew

Reder, Stephen

Withers, Elizabeth

PDXScholar (Portland State University)

Portland State UniversityPDXScholarResearch Briefs and Case Studies Tutor-Facilitated Digital Literacy Acquisition inHard-to-Serve Populations: A Research Project2015Learners: ImpactJill CastekPortland State University, jcastek@pdx.eduGloria JacobsPortland State University, gljacobs@pdx.eduKimberly D. PendellPortland State University, kpendell@pdx.eduDrew PizzolatoPortland State UniversityStephen RederPortland State University, reders@pdx.eduElizabeth WithersPortland State UniversityLet us know how access to this document benefits you.Follow this and additional works at: http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/dla_research_briefsPart of the Applied Linguistics Commons, and the Information Literacy CommonsThis Research Brief is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Research Briefs and Case Studies by an authorizedadministrator of PDXScholar. For more information, please contact pdxscholar@pdx.edu.Recommended CitationCastek, J., Jacobs, G., Pendell, K., Pizzolato, D., Reder S., & Withers, E. (2015). Learners: Impact (Digital Literacy Acquisition inBrief). http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/16206ImpactCastek, J., Jacobs, G., Pendell, K., Pizzolato, D., Reder S., & Withers, E. (2015). Tutor-Facilitated Digital Literacy Acquisition in Hard-to-Serve Populations:.  A Research Project Funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). •	 curriculum	on	the	Learner	Web,	an	online	platform	designed	specifically	for	adult	learners,	which	included		digital	literacy	material	in	English	and	Spanish•	 in-person	tutor	support•	 the	opportunity	to	work	at	their	own	pace	and	identify	their	own	goalsThese findings are from an Institute of Museum and Library Services funded research project that interviewed more than 100 participants within a multi-state Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) Sustainable Broadband Adoption (SBA) project. The BTOP project  included six lead partners who developed local networks of community organizations to provide adults with an opportunity to learn to use computers and the Internet. While these networks created a variety of implementation strategies and ways to serve learners’ needs, they shared these key features: OverviewDigital Literacy Acquisition in Brief:What Research Tells Us about Learners1“It’s	like	opening	a	door.	Imagine	living	in	an	apartment	with	no	windows,	and	then	somebody	comes	and	puts	windows	in.	It’s	about	that	different.	You	know?	This	has	become	much	more	important	since	my	husband’s	health.	Even	if	I’m	at	home,	I	can	look	out.	I	don’t	like	to	be	enclosed,	I	like	to	look	out.	I	enjoy	sociability,	and	it	gives	me	sociability.“ ~ Learner “We	had	a	learner	who	was	absolutely	determined	that	her	boy	should	go	to	A&M.	And	she	came	to	me	and	we	did	a	bunch	of	the	Learner	Web	Internet	research	kinds	of	things.	And	that	boy	did	end	up	going	to	A&M,	but	she	looked	at	a	ton	of	other	college	sites.	It	just	was	like—it	just	opened	the	world	for	her	and	then	it	became	a	choice	as	to	where	that	boy	applied	to	school.”	 ~ TutorOne of the most compelling features of a digital literacy program for adults is the major impact it can have on learners’ lives. Building digital literacy helps sustain critical social connections and opens learners up to an entire new universe of information, interaction, and entertainment. Learners were able to learn how to digitally interact to sustain relationships. In addition, some were able to create new economic opportunities for themselves by broadening their awareness of the digital world. Digital literacy training has the potential to transform and enrich learners’ lives.•	 Learners described learning to use computers as being like discovering a new universe. Having digital skills expanded their sense of the world.•	 Gaining digital literacy skills helped learners maintain contact with friends and family when life circumstances made face-to-face contact difficult.•	 The ability to use digital tools made it possible for some learners to explore the world of online entrepreneurship.  •	 Older individuals, who otherwise might have been “aged out” of the workforce, were able to sustain businesses and remain vital members of the business community.•	 Parents were able to demonstrate to their children that they were still able to learn and succeed. Knowledge of the digital world served as a bridge between generations.•	 For some learners, success in learning digital literacy skills was their first positive learning experience.  Some began thinking about pursuing additional educational opportunities.•	 Learners who were job seekers were able to see themselves as viable members of a workforce that was different from the one they had entered years earlier.Key DiscoveriesVoices from the Fieldtoring  StratIm[ac       Impact tegind Organizing 2On the Ground“Learning	empowers	individuals	with	knowledge	and	skills	to	help	them	fulfill	goals	for	a	better	quality	of	life.	I’ve	always	felt	that	digital	literacy	and	broadband	education	are	definitely	skills	that	will	help	them	lead	better	lives	and	have	a	better	quality	of	life.	The	biggest	reward	is	when	the	students	complete	at	least	fifteen	hours	of	training	and	they	say	‘I	learned	it	and	I	want	more.’”			~ Program AdministratorWhat Do These Findings Mean For Your Work?It’s our mission to empower individuals with knowledge and skills to help them fulfill goals for a better quality of life. I’ve always felt that digital literacy and broadband education is definitely one of those skills that will help them lead better lives and to have a better quality of life. So (doing this work) is serving the community. They want to learn skills that they don’t have, and it’s amazing in looking back to what, a little over a year and a half, the 1,750 participants that came through the doors knowing that none of them had any of those skills (before participating in this program). They don’t have those skills and they want to better themselves. To me, any gain in knowledge is monumental. It’s not just going through the motions and acquiring the knowledge that they didn’t have before, but it’s actually getting that certificate of completion that attests to their skills.   ~ Program Director Language Learners•	 Tutors’ Perspectives•	 The Role of Online Materials•	 The Learner/Tutor Relationship•	 Learners’ PerspectivesProgram Design•	 Tutor-facilitated Digital Literacy Acquisition•	 The Learner Path•	 Volunteering in a Digital Literacy Program•	 Learning Digital Skills in a Time-limited Program•	 Learning Digital Skills in a Corrections Setting Tutors•	 Personal Qualities of Tutors•	 Tutoring Strategies and Organizing Learning•	 The Tutor/Learner RelationshipLearners•	 Development of Self-confidence•	 Measuring Success•	 Impact•	 Learners Who Become Tutors•	 Self-paced LearningThese research efforts were informed and supported by a National Advisory Committee and a Research Applications Committee made up of professionals who support adult learners.More information about the project, research findings, publications, and project data can be found in PDX Scholar at:http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/digital_literacy_acquisition/This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant # LG-06-11-0340-11.Acknowledgements & Further InformationDigital Literacy Acquisition in Brief: What Research Tells Us about...Castek, J., Jacobs, G., Pendell, K., Pizzolato, D., Reder S., & Withers, E. (2015). Tutor-Facilitated Digital Literacy Acquisition in Hard-to-Serve Populations.  A Research Project Funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Impact3

Learners: Impact

http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=dla_research_briefs

Learners: Impact

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