Gratitude
Technology Testing for Adult Learning and Employment (TTALE)
This report was produced by the EdTech Center @ World Education in partnership with the Employment Technology Fund (ETF), the seven funded tool developers, and the community field testing partners. It is the result of national field testing supported by Technology Testing for Adult Learning and Employment (TTALE) grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation.
The EdTech Center @ World Education helped maximize impact for ETF tech investments and other efforts to advance education and career outcomes for lower skilled adults by doing the following:
- Advising developers of ETF-funded tools on adaptations to better meet the needs of lower-skilled adults
- Field testing tools to identify promising designs and practices
- Broadly disseminating effective technology products, features, and learnings
- Providing professional development opportunities to increase the capacity of adult education and workforce development practitioners and employers to leverage technology to increase their reach and impact.
The opinions and ideas expressed in this report are those of the producing organizations alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Walmart or the Walmart Foundation.
We appreciate the support of the adult learners, tool developers, employers, and community partners who supported this field testing with candid feedback, insights, and access to information.
Employment Technology Fund
The Employment Technology Fund (ETF) is the first social impact fund to invest in technology solutions that improve employment opportunity for lower skilled, low-wage earning adults in the United States. Since launching in August 2017, the ETF has made investments in seven ventures: Cell-Ed, Northstar, SkillSmart, Nepris, Signal Vine, CareAcademy, and PAIRIN. The ETF’s investors include the Walmart Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the ECMC Foundation.
ETF seeks partnerships with funders, employers, trade associations, advocacy organizations, workforce development boards, community colleges, training providers, and other community-based organizations working to meet the needs of low-wage, lower skilled adults. Learn more at www.employmenttechnologyfund.com.
EdTech Center @ World Education
The EdTech Center @ World Education was launched in October 2015 to leverage technology to increase the reach and impact of education, workforce, and health initiatives and to enable everyone to thrive and be active, informed citizens in the new digital world. Housed at World Education in Boston, the EdTech Center collaborates with diverse partners to accelerate learning, digital literacy, college and career readiness, and economic mobility of adults with lower skills in the United States, as well as of youth and adults internationally. With active projects in Asia, Africa, and the United States, the EdTech Center is one of few organizations promoting learning exchange and partnership between edtech leaders in the United States and international experts. Together they are catalyzing an edtech movement that puts the needs of learners and instructors first.
About Philanthropy at Walmart
By using our strengths to help others, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation create opportunities for people to live better every day. Walmart has stores in 27 countries, employing more than 2.2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Our philanthropy helps people live better by supporting upward job mobility and economic development for the retail workforce; addressing hunger and making healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality; and building strong communities where Walmart operates and inspiring our associates to give back.
The Technology Testing for Adult Learning and Employment (TTALE) initiative was supported by grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. The opinions and ideas expressed in this report are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Walmart or the Walmart Foundation.