Technology

What Technology Competencies Do Adult Educators Need?

The development of a technology infrastructure for adult education programs is an idea whose time has come, but the development of this infrastructure must include adult educator training in the technologies useful both for the classroom and for professional development. If the development of technology competencies is not part of the local adult education program's technology plan, the limited funds available for developing technology infrastructure in adult education will be wasted and a precious resource for students and teachers will be lost. In order to insure that this resource is not lost or underutilized, it is necessary to identify the competencies that adult educators need. This article will look at planning strategies and planning tools various agencies and programs have employed to determine the competencies needed by educators.

In 1996, the State Board of Education submitted a long-range plan for technology in public schools to the Texas Legislature. In recognizing the importance of instructor training, the plan states "...before technology can significantly improve learning, teachers must first be competent with the technology applications that facilitate their work and support student learning." (State Board of Education [SBOE], 1996, p. 19). The plan goes on to recommend initiatives that clarify the technology proficiencies needed by K-12 educators. The State Board of Education recommends that educators be "paid professional leave time for training in integrating technologies into teaching and learning, instructional management, professional development, and administration." (SBOE, p. 16) Public school teachers need to be "connected" to the Internet so they can participate in professional development activities at a distance, and they must also be able to use new technologies as they are developed.

Similarly, in 1997, the State Plan for Technology in Adult Education and Literacy identified teacher training as a key area of importance for implementing technology use in adult education. The plan's executive summary describes how "...too little in the way of time and money has been directed at training teachers in the effective use of technology for well-defined educational purposes. Adult education and literacy cannot afford similar neglect of training for its professional educators." (Lyman, Payne, & Ashlock, 1997) Additionally, the plan called for the creation of a Technology Team that would devise strategies for keeping the adult education field informed about current technology applications that supported engaged learning and strategies for implementing the state plan.

In an effort to address this and other issues related to technology, the Texas Education Agency (TEA), Division of Adult and Community Education, funded a special project to provide planning and technical expertise to local adult education programs that are developing technology infrastructure. This project, Project INTER-ALT, will also develop quality indicators of technology use for adult educators in collaboration with the Texas Technology Team and provide professional development opportunities for adult educators.

Although adult education was not targeted for funding by the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF) Master Plan, K-12 schools, libraries, higher education, and health care will receive 1.5 billion dollars from the fund to develop technology infrastructure during a ten year span (Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board, 1997). While most of the money has been earmarked for wiring, the TIF board has also seen the need for training and offers some resources for assessing the competencies needed for using technology effectively. Although the following TIF Web site link was written as part of a training syllabus for libraries, the site offers forms that might prove helpful in assessing existing competencies and determining areas where programs need to provide training.

Although few states have developed plans for technology use in adult education and literacy, Arkansas, Massachusetts, and Texas have state technology plans that are addressing teacher proficiency issues.

In 1995, the Arkansas Adult Learning Resource Center (AALRC) developed a Five Year Technology Plan that set the updating of adult educator technology skills as a major priority (AALRC Technology Advisory Committee, 1995). In order to accomplish this, AALRC has conducted annual intensive Technology Institutes, facilitated technology in-services, established a Demonstration Lab, provided technology assistance, and established a Computer Literacy Curriculum Committee. As part of the Technology Institute adult educators are surveyed to determine technology skill levels, then placed into one of the following five tracks: 1) a beginning track for those with little or no computer knowledge; 2) a track for those who do some word processing and have some knowledge of computers; 3) a track for those who use a computer daily, use database and/or presentation software, are able to use some peripherals; 4) a track for mid to high level users; and 5) a track for advanced users of technology who are able to create Web sites and build computer systems. Additional information about AALRC technology efforts can be found at http://aalrc.org.

Massachusetts has probably done more work on developing adult educator competencies for technology than any other state. Before 1998, the Massachusetts Adult Literacy Technology Team (MALTT) provided minimal technology training, support, and technical assistance on a regional and statewide basis (MALTT, 1997). Realizing that the level of support and training needed to be increased, MALTT developed an Adult Literacy and Technology Plan that established the following major goals: 1) the development of an ABE program technology infrastructure that adult learners and educators can easily access and use; 2) the building of learner and instructor computer/video skills and confidence; and 3) support for staff, learners and programs (MALTT, 1997, p. 5-6).

The MALTT plan also includes a useful tool, the ABE Teacher Competencies for Technology, that can be used in addressing technology staff development issues. The proposed competencies are separated into: 1) a Bronze level that indicates a basic level of competency; 2) a Silver level that indicates a comfort and understanding that allows mentorship of Bronze level instructors; and 3) a Gold level that indicates an instructor who can troubleshoot technology problems and conduct training for large groups of instructors. The competencies are also presented in a matrix that organizes the skills listed in the categories of Hardware, Application Software, Internet Software, Management, and Getting Help with their respective Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. The ABE Teacher Competencies for Technology can be located at http://www2.wgbh.org/MBCWEIS/LTC/ALRI/malttplan.html

Texas is also addressing the issue of technology competencies for adult educators. As mentioned earlier, TEA funded an Integrating Technology Into Adult Education Special Project (Project INTER-ALT) this year, to help implement recommendations set forth in the Texas State Plan for Technology in Adult Education and Literacy. The state plan recommends that "when educational technology is the best medium (for instruction) and it meets the learning needs of the student population, instructional sites should be fully equipped and teaching staff should be trained in the use of that technology." (p. 20) This segment of the state plan (Educational Applications) is followed by brief descriptions of adult education programs that are using technology effectively. These programs are few in number, largely due to the lack of technology funding, training and access to technology available to adult education programs.

To address the problem of little or no access to technology and training, TEA awarded Technology Challenge grants to several adult education programs across the state to begin developing a technology infrastructure for adult education. Project INTER-ALT provides technical assistance, training, and professional development opportunities for the Challenge grants and other adult education programs interested in integrating technology into their programs. The project also conducted statewide teleconferences on technology issues via the Texas Education Telecommunications Network (TETN) this fall, and will conduct additional teleconferences in early 1999 (TETN is available at every Education Service Center in the state). In addition to these activities, Project INTER-ALT has formed a Technology Team that continues to research new and existing technologies and develop the technology competencies needed by Texas adult educators.

For information on Project INTER-ALT, e-mail Stanley Ashlock or call 512-245-3995 or 1-877-SWT-TECH(tollfree). You may also visit our Web site at http://www.ideal.swt.edu/interalt.

Stanley Ashlock has worked in adult education for ten years, during which the past five years he has assisted adult educators in using technology for their own professional development and for developing literacy in the classroom. He currently is the project director for Project INTER-ALT (Interactively Advancing Literacy Through Technology), a statewide project that helps adult education programs integrate technology with instruction and develop local technology infrastructure. This project is funded by the Texas Education Agency Division of Adult and Community Education and housed at the Center for Initiatives in Education at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos.

Arkansas Adult Learning Resource Center Technology Advisory Committee. (1995). Arkansas adult learning resource center five year technology plan. Monticello: Arkansas Adult Learning Resource Center.

Lyman, B., Payne, E.M., & Ashlock, S. (1997). State plan for technology use in adult education and literacy: Report of the Texas Education Agency special project: Adult education and literacy new technologies. Austin: Texas Education Agency. http://www.ideal.swt.edu/interalt/new.html

Massachusetts Adult Literacy Technology Team. (1997). Adult literacy and technology for the twenty-first century: A three-year Massachusetts statewide plan for the use of technology in adult literacy education. Boston: Adult Literacy Resource Institute. http://www2.wgbh.org/MBCWEIS/LTC/ALRI/malttplan.html

State Board of Education. (1996). Long-Range plan for technology 1996-2010. Austin: Texas Education Agency. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/lrpt/index.html

Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board. (1997). Telecommunications infrastructure master plan. Austin: Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board. http://www.tifb.state.tx.us/masterplan/masterpln-table.htm