Digital Potential
ICT Skills for Computer and Information Literacy
The Need for ICT Skills Literacy is Clear
 The economy of the 21st century is largely driven by
information technology…
• Global competitiveness … a “flatter world”
– Many emerging countries have defined the development of a digitally
literate workforce as a primary economic driver
– Requires that a country’s workforce is able to demonstrate
competencies across international borders
• Workers with Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
skills are better prepared to step out of low-wage, low-skill jobs and
into higher-paying jobs
• Employers increasingly expect job candidates to have ICT skills
 The ubiquity of computing
• The ever-increasing presence of computing has transformed many
of life’s daily functions.
– From cell phones to ATMs to MP3 players, understanding the ICT
concepts has increasing relevance for all walks of life worldwide
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Microsoft Digital Literacy Program Concept
 A Two part program:
• Free, online, e-learning: curriculum
for digital literacy training in a self
study or classroom environment
• Certificate: digital literacy certificate
of completion of the program
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Digital Literacy Curriculum
 Provides a baseline digital literacy skills standard, supported by:
• Assessment
• eLearning
• Certificate of completion
 Curriculum covers a broad range of critical ICT literacy skills
 The curriculum and assessments will be made available online for free,
and may be provided on CD in Microsoft Word format for locales with
limited or no internet access
 Curriculum may be adapted locally to specific situational needs or
programs
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Digital Literacy Certificate
 The certificate exam functions just like the course-level assessments, but
pulls a set of 30 questions that test objectives across all of the five
courses, rather than just within each course.
 If a candidate achieves a specified percentage of correct answers, they
are granted a certificate of completion for the Digital Potential program,
and can print out a paper certificate.
 Governments and NGOs interested in taking the certificate exam to the
certification level may use the tools provided by Microsoft to build out a
true certification exam and sponsor testing sites with proctoring to
formally validate a candidate’s achievement
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Vision for Stages of Workforce Development
Stage 1:
Career awareness,
planning, and
readiness
Readiness
Stage 2:
Competency
development
Competency
Create awareness
and set career goals
around IT related
careers
Train individuals to
identified
competencies for job
roles
Provide IT related
foundational
education
Certify individuals to
demonstrate job
readiness
Government workforce
counseling
Workforce training
programs
K-12 Education
Commercial training
programs
Higher Education
NGOs
Stage 3:
Work and learning
connections
Application
Bridge school and
training to workplace
opportunities
Stage 4:
Placement
and follow up
Placement
Job placement
Ongoing professional
development
Apprenticeship
programs
NITAS (U.S. Labor)
Government
sponsored internships
K-12 Education
Higher Education
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Role of Digital Literacy in Workforce Development
Stage 1:
Stage 2:
Career awareness,
planning, and
readiness
Competency
development
Readiness
Competency
Program Level
Digital Literacy
Technician
Professional
Architect
Focus
Introduction to
technology
Introduction to
Microsoft
technology
Job role
specific
training
Design
complex
software
solutions
 Entry level
computer
literacy
Objective
 PC and
Online security
 Specific
technology
skills on
Microsoft
Technologies
 Training and
certification
for specific IT
related job
roles
 Architect IT
solutions for
businesses
 Online
Privacy
 Digital Media
Microsoft Certified Trainer
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Digital Literacy Curriculum Topics
Assess
Computer
Literacy
Internet & Web
Basics
Applications
Basics
Security &
Privacy
Individual
Assessment
Individual
Assessment
Individual
Assessment
Individual
Assessment
Objectives Covered
Objectives Covered
Objectives Covered
• Parts of PCs
• Browser basics
• Word Processing
•Types of PCs
Learn
•
• Search Engines
•
Memory
• Internet Search
Strategies
•
Storage
• Chat rooms
•
SW types
• Video conferencing
•
OS
I/O devices
• Windows
• Start menu
•
File mgt
•
Basic functions
• Internet E-mail
• Online Safety &
Privacy
• Spreadsheets
• Presentations
• Passwords
•
Practices
Lifestyle
Individual
Assessment
Objectives Covered
Digital Media
• Photography
• Video
• E-mail
Internet Security &
Privacy
• Music
Each topic covers:
• Hackers, Viruses
•Digital Devices
• Launch
• Online Cons
• Mobile phones
• Open file
•
• PDAs
• Basic functions
• Print
• Creating Web
Pages
Objectives Covered
•PC Security
Digital
• Close
Encryption
• Safe practices
•Email Privacy
• Junk mail, Spam
•
Free e-mail
• Wireless computing
• Tablet PCs
• Wearable devices
•Internet Lifestyle
Apply
Digital Literacy Certificate
(Spans all five objective domains)
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Where we are in this process…
Early 2005
Outreach
•Initial research
•Audience analysis
Mid-Late 2005
Validation
Development
•Validation of vision, scope,
and learning objectives with
teaching community
•Curriculum creation and certificate
development
Microsoft is seeking broad
participation in setting and
validating the vision, scope
and learning objectives
associated with a digital
literacy program
Microsoft will build the
curriculum, assessment
and testing tools for a new
ICT skills development
curriculum
•Needs assessment
Working with the
international community,
Microsoft studied the
general need for digital
literacy programs
•Testing and validation
January 2006
Launch and
Evaluation
•Curriculum launch
•Summative evaluation of
outcomes
Launch and evaluation of
the new curriculum and
testing
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Next steps…
 Step 1: Identify participants in
your organization
 Step 2: Review the Digital
Potential Digital Literacy
Curriculum Vision and Scope
document
 Step 3: Complete each of the
tabs in the spreadsheet to help
us identify core areas of content
coverage
 Step 4: Complete the Digital
Literacy Curriculum Reviewer
Questionnaire
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