Teaching Digital Skills: Strategies and Resources
Literacy for Life Foundation's 1.0 Tech Talk Participant General Theory Manual and 2.0 Tech Talk Trainer Curriculum Framework Manual have been adapted for use in this resource.
Key Components
Start with a focus on language. Next, look at how language is used to navigate digital devices. Language and navigation are what influence and build a plan for learning. Learning plans result in learners having the ability to problem solve and confidently use digital devices to accomplish the things they want to be able to do at home, community, or at work. As learners increase their skills and confidence, it is important to touch on safety and security features (as well as other essential settings) to grow in their independence on digital devices.
Language
It is important to understand visual, verbal and physical digital language so that the user and device can communicate well with each other.
Navigation
It is essential to understand the actions and symbols involved with digital devices as they help us problem solve in order to reach our goals.
Settings, Safety & Security
To choose preferences for different Apps and Software, we need to know where to find settings. With settings, it is important to know the decisions to make to stay safe and secure online.
Planning for Learning
It is always important to start with the learner! What is their goal? What do they want to be able to do? The answer to these questions guides a plan for learning.
Instructional Approach
The goal of teaching is to support tasks: What do learners want to be able to do? Guiding Principles from the Digital Divide tool suggest to:
(1) keep learners at the center
(2) focus on learning, not technology
(3) embrace digital skills as foundational learning
(4) be flexible!
Based on what the learner wants to know how to do, instructors can teach how to accomplish tasks while also building learner's tech confidence and skills. This is done by using strategies that are transferable to multiple tech devices, software, and platforms.
This resource features a collection of instructional strategies and resources that can be used to support the development of digital skills.
See it in Action!
Watch
Here's a video of Monica Leong (Digital Divide Tool) explaining how focussing on learning with a learner is more important than focussing on technology. Though the video uses downloads as an example, the principles apply to whichever task a learner is working on:
https://vimeo.com/1137037792/da107e60fc?fl=ls&fe=ec
“Everyone is learning digital skills, no one knows everything, and technology will inevitably have problems…positive growth and learning…comes from persisting through challenges and issues.”
(page 7 of the Digital Divide Practitioners Tool)