2006 Tech Savvy Midwest Regional Winner

Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge, Iowa

Iowa Central Community College's Adult Literacy Program, begun in 1967, uses information communication technology (ICT) to build the skills of its participants, preparing adults for secondary education and better jobs and equipping them to support the educational development of their children.

Their efforts to combine proven literacy services with instruction through technology led to the Adult Literacy Program being named the 2006 Midwest Regional Verizon Tech Savvy Award Winner.

About 30 qualified adult literacy teachers work in classes that offer one-on-one instruction, whole group lessons, and computer-assisted tutoring. Classes are offered in a nine-county area with varying schedules to accommodate adult students' needs. Some of the adult literacy classes are held at public libraries where students learn to feel more comfortable using computers for library searches and checking out books.

"The computer experiences in the classroom demystify these experiences by allowing them [adult students] to have hands-on experiences with many computer applications," said Ann Waynar, adult basic education coordinator.

In the last three years, efforts to make technology available in as many classroom sites as possible have been stepped up. A mixture of federal and corporate funding, as well as strong partnerships with local public libraries, school districts and other agencies, has made this a reality. Computers, software, Internet access, digital cameras, televisions, and DVD players are now prevalent throughout the Adult Literacy Program.

Information communication technology also is playing a large part in addressing the growing cultural diversity needs in Iowa. There is an increasing demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for immigrants of Hispanic, Asian and African origin. The $5,000 grant the program received with the Tech Savvy award has been used to purchase four additional laptop computers and a new curriculum to meet the literacy needs of these populations.

The additional computers mean that ESL students have opportunities to work on the computer on a routine basis. The new curriculum introduces lessons on Internet searches, e-mailing, and creating Word documents. The lessons are in a format that is specially designed for ESL students who need reinforcement of vocabulary and context clues.

Adult ESL students also use a software program designed to improve writing, reading, listening, and speaking skills in English and to gain experience using headsets for audio and recording voices.

"The computer helped me in many things, because it's a very important tool for students. For example, I found information about trips around the world, a lot of information about vocabulary in English and I learned to type quickly," said Mireya Placido, a student in the Storm Lake Even Start Program.

The Adult Literacy Program places special emphasis on the fact that children are growing up in a world where technology is a part of their everyday school experience. Access to computer technology in adult literacy classes enables parents to do a better job of helping their children with homework, checking websites their children frequent, and keeping in touch with school personnel.

Adult education teachers guide parents through Internet searches for information on parenting tips, such as how to monitor their child’s Internet activity to ensure their safety. Providing parents with information and literacy skills builds their confidence and "leads to parents assuming parental roles such as being the spokesperson at doctor and dental visits or parent-teacher conferences," said Waynar. "Without these language skills, the child often becomes the interpreter/spokesperson for him/herself."

In family literacy classes, students set up e-mail accounts that allow them to communicate with family, teachers, and other important people in their lives. GED students are using access codes to independently check on their recent GED test scores.

Parents also learn to connect classroom learning to the real world. In their everyday experiences, parents encounter technology when they scan items at the grocery store, visit an ATM machine, or check on the availability of a book in the library. Many have goals of finding jobs or improving their job situation. In supporting the career goals of the student, Iowa Workforce Development speakers present information on navigating job listings on the Workforce website.

"As Iowa Central applies for new family literacy dollars, we can add the Verizon Tech Savvy Award as one of our program's achievements. It is great to be able to build on the success of the adults and families in our program," said Waynar.