Upcoming discussion: Skills in Technology-Rich Environments

Dear Postsecondary Completion Colleagues:  Please consider joining this discussion.  Postsecondary education is certainly a technology-rich (technology-challenging!) environment.  Cynthia

From October 24-28, the LINCS Technology and Learning Group will host a panel discussion on teaching students practical skills to solve problems in technology-rich environments. The topic is relevant and timely: Of the domains assessed by the PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills, Americans performed most poorly in Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments (PSTRE). This discussion may be especially useful for teachers, tutors, program administrators, and other practitioners interested in assessing and teaching these skills.

The panel, hosted by Moderator David J. Rosen, includes experts specializing in researching and/or teaching these skills:

  • Dr. Jill Castek, Portland State University assistant professor, Department of Applied Linguistics, focused on instructional techniques and digital tools to support reading, writing, and content learning
  • Dr. Stephen Reder, Portland State University professor, Department of Applied Linguistics, interested in adult literacy and second language acquisition
  • Jennifer Vanek, World Education, Inc., interim director for IDEAL Consortium, working to develop effective distance education programs for adult learners
  • Kenneth Tamarkin, experienced technology coordinator, workforce and adult basic education professional with the Asian American Civic Association
  • Edward Latham, education specialist with Axiom Education & Training Center, leveraging technology to bring educational opportunities to impoverished and remote communities in rural New England

Registration is not required, and no resources are needed to join the panel discussion. Digital Inclusion and Digital Literacy in the United States: A Portrait from PIAAC’s Survey of Adult Skills, a research paper by Stephen Reder published by the American Institutes for Research, will be referenced, as will Jennifer Vanek’s new research on helping practitioners teach PSTRE skills, which will be published and available to share publicly this fall.

Questions and requests for more information can be directed to David J. Rosen.

Thanks,

-The LINCS Team