| Description |
In 2016, the Public Library's digital inclusion program partnered with the Community Learning Center to facilitate the Online Education (OE) program. With this program, adult students can complete their high school diploma and connect with other online digital literacy education programs. Many adults in the community experience barriers to education, and live below the poverty level. Critical scholars have long argued that attitudes and dialogue around education and traditional literacies begin in the home, and the convergence of traditional and digital literacies in homes (or lack thereof) directly contributes to digital inequities. Using observation and participant interviews, this qualitative research project examines the everyday activities and conversations at the OE. The project aims to determine what motivates individuals to participate in the program, and the digital literacy skills necessary to participate in the OE. It also examines access to information communication technologies in the home to see if access directly contributes to success in achieving online educational goals. A better understanding of OE participants will help the Library determine future digital literacy education programming, and address digital inequities with other anchor institutions. |
