Back to Basics: Strategies &

Techniques for Teaching Basic

Digital Literacy to Underserved Populations

Karen K

eysLauren C

omito

Tara Lannen-Stanton

Digital Literacy

The ability to locate, organize, understand, evaluate and analyze information using digital technology.

• Levels• Ask people what they need

Your Underserved Populations

• Population• Demographics

• Education level• Income level• Languages other than English• Teens• Housing situation

Making Connections

• Other more pressing needs• Food• Housing• Transit

• Referrals• Partnerships

Partnerships & Extra Help

• ReServe• Summer Youth Employment Program• NY Cares• Teen Net Mentors• Volunteers• Interns

Identifying Technology Needs

• Assessmento Informal o Formal

• Questions under the question

• Identifying larger need before technology need

• Language issues

Interrelated Skills

Staff structure

• Outreach & Programming Librarians• Youth Counselors• Technical Support Aides• Teen Net Mentors• ReServe Job Developers

Funding Sources

• Local• State• National/Big Money

o USDA Community Connect Grantso IMLSo Tech Soupo MacArthur Digital Meeting & Learning

Initiative• Public/Private Partnerships

Frequent Challenges/Questions

• Privacy concerns or lack thereof• Credibility of resources

o Too good to be true• Other tech questions• Saving and storing documents• Beginners in your intermediate

classes

Tips

• Patience, patience, patience• Encouragement• Blame the technology• Recommended order for classes• Online tutorials for practice and

improvement

Curriculum

• Many resources already exist• Identify the needs in your classes• Relevance and utility• Customizable• Focused topics

Curriculum

• Top 10+ lists• Lessons• Exercises• Quizzes

• People love paper!• Cheat sheets

One-On-One

Classes

• All different levels in one class

• Pay attention to seating

• Less skilled• Individualized

attention • More skilled

• "Challenge" exercises

Scheduling

• Experiment with timing and length• Multiple week sessions?• Boot camps• Beginner classes vs. intermediate

classes

Open Lab

• Working around time limits• Structured time for specific purposes• Short one-on-ones• Encourages use of online library tools• Keyboarding!

Resources We Love!

• Mousercise pbclibrary.org/mousing/mousercise.htm

• Learning Express Library• GCF Learn Free• Playspent.org• Carnegie Library of Pittsburg Help

Sheets• Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum