Leveraging Technology to Increase Opportunity and Economic Security for Adults

The best tools provide users with multiple ways to access content. For example, <strong>Cell-Ed</strong>, a mobile learning tool that teaches literacy, language, and job skills via three-minute micro lessons, provides learners several ways to access content anytime, anywhere, including text and recorded audio lessons through a basic cell phone without Internet access.

The best tools provide users with multiple ways to access content. For example, <strong>Cell-Ed</strong>, a mobile learning tool that teaches literacy, language, and job skills via three-minute micro lessons, provides learners several ways to access content anytime, anywhere, including text and recorded audio lessons through a basic cell phone without Internet access.

Effective tools limit unnecessary registration requirements for initial use of a tool by adults with lower digital literacy or basic skills. For example, Northstar’s no-registration option and free open access has led to over 3,000,000 assessments of digital literacy, as well as valuable credentials for employment.

The best tools integrate personal connections to support engagement in technology. For example, PAIRIN and Cell-Ed’s use of human coaching supports users’ persistence and effort.

Nepris’ use of industry chats and access to industry experts helps job seekers and learners build personal connections that support career exploration. For many, it is the first time they are able to have a direct conversation with someone in the line of work into which they would like to shift. In some cases, the use of Nepris built personal connections that led to actual employment.

Screening-in solutions—in the form of competency, experience, and attribute-based assessments—bring opportunities for overlooked populations, match them to opportunities for which they are ready, and provide actionable signals to employers.

The best tools ensure that content is highly relevant to the learners. SkillSmart, for example, uses skills as a consistent measure of candidate proficiency for a specific job and provides opportunities for targeted upskilling. Learners appreciated finding new professions in which they could apply earned skills from previous work, education, or other life experiences.

Effective tools also employ competency-area experts to assist in the development and vetting of content to ensure relevance and validity—for example, PAIRIN uses social scientists and research to develop attribute-based assessments.

Impactful tools incorporate diverse media supports effectively to make using them easier for adults with lower literacy, lack of prior education, and not much experience using computers.

For example, Northstar’s Digital Literacy Assessment uses video, audio, photos, and other instructive graphics to convey meaning more quickly than text for users with limited literacy proficiency. This approach allows users who lack strong literacy, including English language learners, or prior education the ability to complete assessments and demonstrate computer skills, earning a valuable credential for employment.

Additionally, rich media support persistence and impact. CareAcademy, for example, uses a rich multimedia experience in a mobile format to upskill learners for certification, combining professionally acted and produced videos, readings, graphics, and short interactive assessment activities.

This report outlines the most effective practices seen in the field and in tool-specific reports. It is our hope that entrepreneurs will use these findings to build more impactful products; that adult educators and workforce development professionals will improve their ability to implement powerful tools; and that employers will find ways to increase access to learning and opportunity for both current and future employees.

Finally, it is our hope that 103 million adults in the United States will find more equity in opportunity and reach their fullest potential.

Technology Developers:

• Design and adapt technology tools to serve a less digitally savvy demographic: Don’t assume existing K-12 or higher ed products will meet the unique needs and interests of adults with lower skills.
• Get to know your end user: Use a human-centered design process and user testing to better understand and meet the unique learning and employment needs of this population. Be sure the personas you create to support development include a character with limited schooling and lack of access to broadband or a large mobile data plan.
• Keep the user interface simple: Make sure that adults with lower digital literacy skills can easily navigate the tool; be aware that every bell or whistle you add may make user navigation more complicated.
• Make it easy to get started: Don’t add barriers to onboarding; for example, don’t require registration unless it’s absolutely needed. If it is, simplify it by not requiring email. Can you use a phone number or user name instead? Provide access to onboarding support materials (especially videos).
• Go mobile: Leverage mobile strategies, including mobile optimization of tools for use on cell phones; mobile apps that enable online and offline access to content; and texting, messaging, and mobile coaching to engage, communicate with, and support users.
• Make content immediately relevant: Adults with lower skills must immediately see themselves and their needs reflected, or they will disengage. If you get it right, they will become loyal users.
• Use rich media and audio to support engagement and persistence: The effective use of multimedia not only keeps adult learners or job seekers engaged, it also supports comprehension for adults with limited overall literacy or digital literacy.
• Partner with experts: Leverage the expertise of adult education and workforce development professionals as well as employers for the design and implementation of your products (and competency areas).
• Complement technology with the human touch, when needed: While technology increases access and scale, don’t forget the human touch, where appropriate. Mobile coaches, community partners, and virtual mentors and connections are impactful to this group, which needs a wider support system.

Adult Educators and Workforce Development Professionals:

• Try employment edtech tools: Adopt technologies that improve outcomes for clients/employees related to education and training, employment, and career advancement. Begin with an experimental mindset and provide training and other resources to help staff become fluent with the tools you are adopting.
• Continue to teach outside the classroom: Offer online and mobile learning to increase access to education and training for busy adults with barriers to attending classes, as well as extend and accelerate learning for adults already within programs.
• Nudge positive outcomes: Use texting and messaging to nudge adults to engage in desired behaviors, whether that’s taking time to study, attending a hiring event, or submitting their FAFSA application.
• Go beyond the resume to screen-in adults for opportunity: Online assessments and surveys and complete job applications that are competency-based, measure aptitudes, and consider prior experience (including informal) can screen-in qualified applicants who might be overlooked in a hiring approach that relies on traditional resumes. Partner with local employers and help learners and program participants to frame these skills and attributes.
• Help adults see new pathways: Leverage mobile and virtual coaching and mentorship solutions, as well as skills-based assessments, to help adult learners find well-suited pathways with which they might be unfamiliar.
• Collaborate toward building in-demand skills: Partner with employers filling high-demand jobs to make learning more relevant and increase near-term advancement opportunities for adult learners.
• Visit WorkforceEdTech.org: Visit the EdTech Center’s new WorkforceEdTech.org website and tools repository to learn about best tools and practices for implementation.

Employers:

• Leverage technology to hire, upskill, and advance your workforce: Adopt proven products for learning and training, skills assessment, mentoring and career planning, and job search and placement.
• Embrace mobile learning: Upskill employees through anytime, anywhere online and mobile learning solutions that can differentiate and accelerate learning and advancement.
• Text to improve learning and employment outcomes: Consider texting and messaging solutions to improve communication with your employees and nudge desired behaviors.
• Look beyond the traditional resume: Increase diversity in your hiring through digital assessments that are competency-based, measure aptitudes, and consider prior experience (including informal) to screen in qualified applicants who might be overlooked by a hiring approach that relies on traditional resumes. Partner with local workforce development programs that help job seekers frame these skills and attributes.
• Hire for skills or mindsets: Reconsider if traditional proxies—like degree credentials—are actually needed for every job. In many cases they ineffectively evaluate talent and artificially cull the candidate pool.
• Inspire working adults toward your industry: Share information on in-demand jobs in your industry on digital career mentorship tools to help lower-skilled adults learn about job positions they might otherwise not know about or consider.
• Partner: Look for partnerships with on-the-ground organizations that have experience working with the demographics of your employees so as to better support them.
• Increase transparency: Help current employees or job seekers more clearly understand requirements of jobs, their own personal skills gaps, and pathways to acquire the requisite skills for specific opportunities or careers.