Full Research Report

In 2014-15, AlphaPlus was involved in a research project examining current assessment practices related to the OALCF Use Digital Technology Milestones, the alignment between the Milestones and program learning and reporting trends. Our study concludes that the Milestones and accompanying administration guidelines work counter to the ministry’s objective for the OALCF to “improve service delivery, learner experiences and learner outcomes” by introducing a series of challenges, contradictions and inequities.

EOIS-CaMS data and anecdotal information indicated that the OALCF Competency D – Use Digital Technology Milestones were often being selected. We wanted to know why there was a reliance on a limited number of Milestones and determine why assessors were making this choice. An investigation initially focused on digital technology Milestones grew to incorporate a broader investigation of Milestone use in general.

This SDNDF-funded project Assessment Use and Reporting: Investigating Data Integrity Issues gathered information from assessors in LBS programs by way of an online survey and in-person interviews focused on the digital technology Milestones as well as assessment and reporting practices and their impacts on programming. The insights of practitioners with experience using the OALCF Milestones were integral to the project.

Christine Pinsent-Johnson
Matthias Sturm
2015

See the Research Brief.

See the Research Overview.

See the Presentation.

The E-Learning on the Goal Paths e-bulletin is focused on activities that instructors and learners can use to find information about each of the goal paths, and to work on digital skills and building self-efficacy.

To help you find activities and resources quickly, we have used a Live Binder – essentially a “three-ring binder on the web” that functions as a web-based repository of live links, and is a very handy way to keep links organized by topic or theme. 

The E-Learning on the Goal Paths Live Binder is organized by goal path and under each tab you will find direct links to informational and learning activity sites which provide students with opportunities to acquire and practice digital skills.

E-learning is becoming an increasingly important component in our work, in further education and training and in our daily life.

In this OALCF Goal Paths and E-learning e-bulletin, we take a look at the transitional competency requirements in each of the OALCF goal paths related to e-learning and the opportunities currently available to adult literacy students in Ontario.

As we undertook this brief review of e-learning in the goal paths, we had the following questions in mind:

• What do we know about e-learning demands and opportunities in each of the goal paths?
• What do learners need to know and be able to do in relation to e-learning in order to support a successful transition to their next step?
• What do instructors need to know to support students in developing the necessary e-learning competencies?
• Where and how does e-learning fit with the OALCF?

Much of what we learned is information already familiar to experienced adult literacy practitioners; however, we want to highlight the ever-increasing reach of e-learning in workplaces and in education.

This package of instructional resources was developed in 2012 and includes sample tasks and learning activities to support practitioners using digital technology in Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) programs within the context of the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF).

As this is an older document, you may find the links to resources have become outdated.

The sample tasks and learning activities are organized by theme:

Package 1 (PDF) includes:

• Introduction (PDF)
• Work using digital technology (PDF)
• Manage money using digital technology (PDF)
• Sample online instructional resources (PDF)

Package 2 (PDF)  includes:

• Introduction (PDF)
• Manage Health Using Digital Technology (PDF)
• Manage Learning Using Digital Technology (PDF)
• Share and Collaborate Using Digital Technologies (PDF)

These instructional resources were developed in collaboration with Anne-Marie Kaskens and Tracey Mollins. Instructors and learners at The Literacy Group of Waterloo Region reviewed many of the tasks and provided valuable feedback. We thank them all for their invaluable support.

This research report is based on the study of the perceptions and experiences of ten adult learners with digital media as they work through small group sessions to create their own digital texts and then reflect on whether and how they think that digital media might help them build digital literacy skills and whether they might be able to apply these skills in their daily lives.

The purpose of this small scale study was twofold: 

• To explore and understand the attitudes and experiences of adult Canadians who are non-users or limited users of digital media and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
• To investigate the ways in which adult learners use and respond to digital media in order to expand their communication potential.

A report on a short-term project conducted in partnership with four self-selected, community-based, adult literacy agencies in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Although over the years we have worked closely with many adult literacy programs across the province, we wanted to look more closely at the realities of using digital technologies for adult literacy teaching and learning.

Specifically, we wanted to:

• see how a program uses, works with and integrates digital technology in adult literacy programming
• explore how programs are actually using digital technologies and e-learning (We define e-learning as teaching and learning with digital technologies)
• learn about the opportunities and challenges that programs face so that we are better informed and can more closely align our services and supports to the needs of adult literacy programs
• take a preliminary look at the use of digital technologies and e-learning in adult literacy programs in relation to the Use Digital Technology Competency of the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF).

This technical paper explores the skills needed for the use of digital technology within the context of curriculum frameworks such as the OALCF, skills frameworks such as the Essential Skills, and more generally in the workplace and for lifelong learning.

Ultimately, the paper aims to spark a national discussion among educators, program administrators, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders, about the use of digital technology as an essential skill for all adults in Canada.