Enhancing Adult Learning: Integrating Technology into GED® Preparation Materials

Hello, Adult Education Community Members! We all know how vital digital literacy skills are for our adult learners – but did you know how easy it is to integrate technology into your students’ GED® Preparation Materials?  In this post, we’ll explore ways your students can benefit from including technology-based learning activities as they study for their GED® exams. 

Why Are Digital Literacy Skills Important?

Let’s start with the definition of digital literacy from Teaching the Skills that Matter (TSTM) from the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE). Digital literacy skills are those associated with using technology to enable users to find, evaluate, organize, create, and communicate information and develop digital citizenship and the responsible use of technology. For instructors, digital literacy is the skills that adult students must learn to become citizens of the digital world who can responsibly use technology to find, evaluate, organize, create, and communicate information.

Digital literacy can support or accelerate the acquisition of knowledge and the development of proficiency in various academic contexts. This means that the role of an adult education instructor is two-fold concerning digital literacy:

• to ensure that learners have foundational computer skills and 
• to leverage those skills and provide ample opportunities to use them in learning. 

Also, remember that Adult Ed programs are often the only place for adults to learn how to navigate the Internet and develop technology skills. Digital literacy is a focus in the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) and articulated throughout the anchor standards and benchmarks of the CCRS

What Are TSTM’s Digital Literacy Skill Groups?

Let’s review the Digital Literacy Skill Groups and see how Aztec can enhance lessons with integrated technology components to provide students with practical technology skill activities. 

Basic Computer Skills: Skills Required to Control Digital Devices & Use Them to Accomplish Simple Tasks

This is the starting point for many students’ digital literacy skills – with tasks like turning their devices on, logging into the site’s network, using the right and left mouse buttons, and then progressing to more diverse tasks like using the Shift key to type capital letters, using the CTRL functions to copy/paste/delete, creating and saving files, attaching files to emails, etc.

Many daily tech tasks instructors complete regularly may require a short lesson to assist students in using their devices efficiently. Teaching them to take notes in Google Docs or Word as they study their digital or print GED® prep materials provides them opportunities to learn and practice those skills.

Network Literacy: Skills Required to Access & Curate Information as Required by Social Networks

Students should be able to navigate various information networks, including the internet, social media platforms, databases, online communities, and their digital GED® coursework materials. This involves understanding how information is organized, accessed, and disseminated across digital platforms. The student builds their network literacy by teaching them where and how to look for additional information online as they study. Navigating successfully through Aztec’s digital GED prep materials will help students build confidence in maneuvering through websites for information, employment, appointments, and other digital, everyday life activities.

Digital Problem Solving: Skills Required to Navigate & Use Multiple Digital Resources to Accomplish Goals Across Domains

Digital problem-solving is a part of using digital products! Teaching students to “stay calm”, be problem-solvers, and become seekers of solutions is just the beginning – so is “if all else fails, log out and log back in”. Students also need to take what they learn in their class – maybe downloading their GED® Ready Practice Test score report and attaching it to an email to their instructor – and apply that skill to their real lives.

Media Literacy: Skills Required to Find, Evaluate, Use, & Communicate Information

Media literacy emphasizes the importance of equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to navigate the complex media landscape of the 21st century, critically evaluate media messages, and actively participate in digital-based communication and learning in ethical, informed, and empowering ways. Simply put, media literacy refers to the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and communicate using various forms of media. Giving students opportunities to search for supplemental information and show skill attainment using alternative digital programs and products increases their media literacy skills.

Information Literacy: Skills Required to Recognize When Information is Needed & the Ability to Locate, Evaluate, & Use it Effectively

Information literacy is similar to network and media literacy, but the focus extends to students’ ability to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate information. This might include the pros and cons of using Wikipedia for research assignments and YouTube videos for math tutorials to support their GED® studies. Students need guidance on how these online resources can be used as a “starting point” or as the “whole truth.”

Incorporating Digital Literacy into GED® Preparation Activities Enhances Adult Learning Experiences

By focusing on these digital literacy skills, adult education programs can empower learners to thrive in the digital world and succeed in their personal, educational, and professional endeavors.

Interested in finding out how Aztec can provide the essential curriculum for your learners’ success? Connect with us at: https://www.aztecsoftware.com/contact-us/