https://vimeo.com/69217054]
“Digital literacy is something that a lot of learning facilities are moving toward. It’s a relatively new feature in learning skills,” said Michael Thompson, the adult education coordinator at Congreso. “It’s something that is recognized now as being very very important and indispensable.”
Congreso, an organization that spans three buildings in Philadelpia’s Fairhill neighborhood,provides education services to the Hispanic community. It has an entire adult division, which incorporates technology into its programs in many different ways.
Congreso teaches a multitude of literacy courses and GED classes in both English and Spanish. Technology has become part of what they teach and is incorporated into the classes they offer.
“I taught ESL courses… and in those courses I used very simple basic things for English. There’s a website… it has great Java, flashcard programs… to teach vocabulary,” said Thompson.
Congreso also focuses on getting its clients ready for the workplace. While the organization does not have any official job placement services, it still works on making its clients productive, successful members of the workforce. Thompson incorporates the basics of using the SEPTA website into his ESL lesson on speaking English and finding your way around.
“I taught the ESL students how to use the SEPTA website,” said Thompson. “If they have a job interview, and they need to get to a place they’ve never been before, they need to know how to navigate that site.”
Thompson’s approach to teaching technology and digital literacy is that the technology should help the clients learn something else. One class was devoted to learning Google Maps, which allowed the clients to use street view and see their homes.
“It gets them engaged with the technology, while you are also teaching them literacy,” Thompson said. “It’s not just about teaching the technology. It’s about learning how to use the technology to support other learning goals.”
Congreso has no trouble filling its classes and sees them fill up and then throughout the class clients drop out.
“We were starting with full classes,” said Thompson. “There is quite a large waiting list.”
Most of the clients at Congreso have other responsibilities like jobs and children that make taking the courses at Congreso difficult. For the ones who stick it out there are great benefits.
“For the GED classes, we give them practice GED tests,” said Thompson. “They get a sense of what it’s going to be like, what material they need to know.”
Understanding and being able to use technology is very important in today’s workforce. Congreso recognizes this and incorporates technology in the hope that it will make its clients more valuable members of the workforce. A high school education has become increasingly important for job seekers. Congreso tailors its classes to fit this need.
Post-secondary education is becoming more important as well. Harcum College, which operates out of one of Congreso’s three buildings, is one option given to clients after completing their GED. It’s an associates school that allows the clients to further their education before entering the workforce.
Congreso is also a Keyspot partner. This means that they have a set of computers in their lobby for the public to use free of charge that have internet access and come with Microsoft Office, so community members can use them for job searches as well as making resumes and job presentations.
“The digital learning that has taken place is being integrated with basic skills learning,” Thompson said.
In its adult literacy classes, Congreso incorporates digital literacy in many ways but most importantly into its basic skills courses. It continues to offer these courses to the community to spread literacy through the use of technology.
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