Lifelong Learning
Engagement in self-assessment of digital skills. Using self-reflection to tailor accessible digital environments and continue digital skills learning.
Guiding Questions
- Do I take time to reflect on what I’ve learned and set goals for what I still want to learn?
- When I need to learn something new, am I able to find and use online resources?
- Am I able to adapt to new tools and technology, building on my current skills and experiences?
Context Why the skills in each domain are needed for digital opportunity, defined as "the condition in which individuals and communities have the information technology capacity that is needed for full participation in the society and economy of the United States" (H.R.3684)
With technology continuing to evolve at an unchecked pace, the need to teach digital resilience in addition to digital literacy is becoming more apparent than ever. Digital resilience is defined as having the awareness, skills, agility, and confidence to be empowered users of new technologies and adapt to changing digital skill demands.11 Yet 32 million adults in the U.S. lack basic digital literacy skills, and half of Americans aren’t comfortable using technology to learn.12 These data points challenge commonly held beliefs about who can use a computer and who cannot. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 72 percent of the U.S. lack sufficient digital problem-solving skills, including 58 percent of millennials.13
While freely available digital skills learning resources are becoming more and more common, they are not one-size-fits-all. Learners will likely need support to identify appropriate, high-quality resources for their unique goals and needs as they take ownership of their lifelong learning journey.
Awareness What practitioners should know before teaching each domain (e.g., related topics, factors that may affect learners)
Practitioners should be aware of the following when teaching lifelong learning skills
- Learning needs and preferences: Every learner learns differently, and no one resource will be effective for every learner. Examples of needs and preferences include in-person vs. virtual learning, classes vs. individual tutoring, reading tutorials vs. watching videos, live instruction vs. self-guided, etc.
- Resistance and skepticism: Learners may be understandably resistant to learning emerging technologies and skeptical of the value in learning how to use them.
Taking Action What practitioners and programs can do to be empowering when teaching each domain
Practitioners can take action to be empowering in the following ways:
Instruction and Training
I can:
- Learn from learners and identify the challenges they may face when it comes to lifelong learning.
- Identify and select appropriate, high-quality learning resources based on learners’ goals and needs.
- Support learners in identifying their individual digital skills needs based on their technology use and learning goals.
- Promote a lifelong learning mindset in my instruction by creating a safe learning environment, recognizing the value of learning from mistakes, and supporting learners’ curiosity and growth.
- Provide instruction on the benefits and risks of using new and changing technologies.
Program Design
Our program:
- Promotes a lifelong learning mindset for both staff, volunteers, and learners.
- Has protocols for identifying learners’ individual digital skill levels, needs, and goals as part of our intake and onboarding process.
- Selects appropriate, high-quality learning resources for our learners and alumni to support their learning during and after their time in our programming.
- Provides paid professional development time for staff to stay up-to-date on technologies relevant to their work, especially tools, resources, and strategies that facilitate providing individualized support to learners.
Related Empowering Practices
See the following domains for relevant skills and related empowering practices:
Online Life
Citations