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Digital Solutions for Adult Learners with Limited Resources
Keywords
Digital inclusion, literacy, access, equity
Session Abstract
The purpose of this roundtable is to share best practices regarding digital tools available to adult learners in pursuit of their high school equivalency. Participants will be able to identify and access free digital tools to engage and instruct learners who have minimal broadband access and/or digital tools.
Session Description
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an expansive stay-at-home order necessitating a switch to 100% virtual classes. Students of low socioeconomic status seldom possess a laptop or desktop computer. In addition, access to in-home broadband access is limited for many. Internet access is usually through a smartphone or a tablet.
Quickly implementing easily accessible virtual classrooms, with simple to use digital tools, allowed for retention of over 70% of students in the high school equivalency program. A virtual classroom allowed for retention of learners that would have been lost once program spaces were closed. Many adult learners have competing priorities (jobs, families, etc) that make it difficult for them to stay engaged. Applications such as Google Meet and WhatsApp allowed for educational instruction to be easily accessible via mobile devices or a tablet.
Initial implementation took place two months after the stay at home order was initiated allowing for increased retention of students. As a result 21 out of 28 students registered in the program passed one section of the HiSET high school equivalency exam. Almost 30% of students went on to obtain their high school equivalency diploma after passing all five sections.