Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning

Digital Education Lab Coordinator

Position: CTEP Economic Empowerment Member
Program:  Community Technology Empowerment Project

Partner Agency: Saint Paul ABE, Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning

Location(s): 1030 University Avenue W, Saint Paul, MN 55104

Site Supervisor: Jennifer Weaverling, ABE Assistant Supervisor

CTEP Program Description:

The AmeriCorps Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) bridges the “digital divide” for new Immigrants and low-income communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Join AmeriCorps CTEP and help make the information age accessible to all.  CTEP is a project of Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN).

Site History and Mission

Saint Paul Adult Basic Education serves approximately 1,800 adult learners each week at the Hubbs Center (Hubbs) and a multitude of outreach sites throughout the city. One third of these are U.S.-born adults with basic education needs such as GED obtainment or post-secondary (college/occupational training) preparation. The remainder are immigrants/refugees with English language proficiency goals in addition to basic education needs. Ninety-eight percent of our adult learners are low-income and most fall on the “wrong side” of the digital divide. Nearly all lack the computer/technology skills necessary to function successfully in today’s society.

During the 2010-2011 school year, with the help of a CTEP member, Hubbs revamped our old keyboarding lab to be a ‘Digital Education Lab (DEL).’ The purpose of the DEL is to provide a space where learners might improve a wide array of computer skills including keyboarding, mousing, computer basics, internet navigation, and MS Office skills at their own pace and during their own time. Classroom visits in which a technology lesson plan is modelled also serve as staff development for instructors who are not themselves comfortable with DEL curriculum.

The key to the successful start-up of the DEL has been the active participation of the CTEP member with both learners and teachers. Learners need a supported environment in which to successfully develop both technology and independent learning skills. Instructors need a place to refer their learners who lack the requisite computer skills for their goal. Additionally, instructors themselves need support in updating their practice to include classroom integration of basic digital skills.

During the 2011-2012 school year, the CTEP member would be actively engaged in the continued development and refinement of the DEL concept within Hubbs. This would entail developing DEL curriculum, refining the referral process, actively recruiting DEL participants, delivering hands-on workshops on digital topics, providing direct assistance to lab users, and coordinating work study/volunteer lab assistants. Furthermore, the CTEP member would conduct classroom visits to model DEL and other digital literacy curriculum in order to build confidence in instructors in teaching computer, online, and other technology topics to adult learners.

Preferred Site Schedule for Member

Preferred schedule is Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM; Fridays 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Friday hours are flexible, so is the end time each afternoon. Some evening hours may also be possible upon request.

In addition, members attend professional development days with their fellow CTEP members to enhance service-readiness skills, personal attributes at the service site, and citizenship skills.  These Corps days take place twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Fridays from 9 AM to 4 PM, and these trainings are mandatory.  Members also attend statewide AmeriCorps events, such as the Martin Luther King Day celebration, and/or serve on the statewide InterCorps Council.

Specific Site Responsibilities:

The CTEP member will serve adult learners who are enrolled in English Language Learner (ELL), GED, college prep, and occupational prep courses. These learners include immigrants/refugees and low-literacy US-born adults. The CTEP member will be responsible for improving and promoting the Digital Education Lab (DEL) at the Hubbs Center. Specifially, the CTEP member will develop digital literacy standards-based curriculum, refine DEL referral and orientation processes, deliver hands-on workshops for learners and teachers, recruit DEL users, provide overall support to lab users, and coordinate/train work study students and volunteers. In addition to solid computer technology skills, experience in the educational field is a plus — for example, teaching, tutoring, lesson planning, and/or curriculum writing. Ability to work with diverse individuals is a must.

Site Environment:The Hubbs Center is a bustling adult education facility. While the CTEP will have her or his own desk space, the office area is open and in close proximity to other special projects staff. Interruptions are common so the ability to both shift gears quickly and to resume focus on task is helpful.

How to Apply:Apply online at my.americorps.gov and click on “Apply to Serve” (be sure to enter 06ACHMN0010008-0 as the “Program Listing ID,” or search for the Community Technology Empowerment Project).  Contact: Joel Krogstad, joel@technologypower.org, 651.556.1384

We are committed to recruiting and engaging individuals without regard to disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.  Reasonable accommodations will be made upon request.  Alternative formats of this document are also available.