Hello program or adult school manager/administrator/leader, and professional developer,
Program or adult school manager/leader: I want to call your attention to this Washington Post article about the low computer literacy of students in U.S. schools, the role that school administrators could play in turning that around, and ask you to consider your own situation as a leader of an adult basic skills program or adult school in addressing your students' (and teachers') computer and information literacy, or digital literacy skills.
"Results were recently released from the International Computer and Information Literacy 2018 study, and they were sobering: Only 2 percent of students scored at the highest levels implied by digital native status, and only another 19 percent of the 42,000 students assessed in 14 countries and educational systems could work independently with computers as information-gathering and management tools." https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/11/16/todays-kids-may-be-digital-natives-new-study-shows-they-arent-close-being-computer-literate/
"Sara Dexter, an associate director in the University of Virginia’s education school, looks at the results and what they mean." Dexter writes, 'My work over these years with hundreds of teachers preparing for school leadership roles suggests that the solution for developing students’ computer and information literacy and computational thinking must begin with school leaders in administrative roles and then involve instructional technology specialists and teacher leaders to provide support and set examples for all teachers, in all subjects.'
Program manager/administrator/leader:
- Have you had effective training that has prepared you well to lead your program or adult school in integrating technology? If so, tell us about it, and/or
- What training would you like to have available to prepare you to lead your program or adult school in integrating technology?
Professional developer: how do you think we should be preparing adult basic skills administrators and leaders to integrate technology in their programs and adult schools?
David J. Rosen, Moderator
LINCS CoP Integrating Technology and Program Management groups