Over the past two years, we all have realized how essential digital literacy and digital resilience are for full participation in classes, at work, and in daily life. As adult educators continue to work very hard to create opportunities for equitable access by helping students acquire these critical skills, the reality in our classrooms poses some big challenges.

Imagine a class in which some students are unsure of how to navigate the Internet while others surf with ease; in which some are unfamiliar with using computers but are adept at using their phones (albeit only for texting, taking photos, and family video calls); in which others are clamoring for more online resources to accelerate their learning. Chances are you do not need to “imagine” such a class because this scenario is all too familiar.

This session is the third in the SABES Digital Literacy series and builds upon the core concepts of the first session: Digital Literacy 101: Where to Begin, 1/24/21. (The second session is ESOL-focused: Digital Literacy in Beginning and Intermediate ESOL Instruction: Engaging with Opportunities for Deeper Learning, 2/16/22.) In this third session, ABE and advanced ESOL instructors explore ways that problem-based learning supports their learners' navigation of—and problem-solving in—technology-rich environments (PS-TRE). Practitioners first refine their understanding of PS-TRE, then analyze a standards-aligned project that draws on and expands learners' digital and information literacy skills. Finally, working in teams, participants will discuss ways to adapt the project content and workshop concepts to their own remote and in-person classes.