Adult Basic Education Competencies for Technology

This document is the fourth draft of the proposed ABE Teacher Competencies for the Massachusetts State ABE Technology Plan. Additional suggestions or feedback are highly welcome.

There are four levels of competencies for most of the categories: Tin, Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Tin is a recent (1998) addition; it was added after several people looked at the bronze levels and got nervous. Tin is perhaps a better reflection of where many people stand in various technology areas currently; nonetheless, we encourage people to aspire to the bronze level. Tin levels of skill are not part of the stated goals for the technology plan.

Bronze indicates the basic level of competency necessary to get basic use of the system. Every competent user should have at least Bronze level in the areas she or he will be using.

Silver indicates a more advanced level of comfort and understanding of the system; users with Silver level should be able to tutor users up to Bronze, and should be able to troubleshoot any questions that might arise out of Bronze-level usage. A Silver-level user, in other words, should see herself or himself as a potential mentor for other users.

Gold indicates a "Wizard" in the respective area -- a user who is able to manage most, if not all, levels of the system, put out fires, run seminars and instruct to large groups, and replace parts of the system when necessary.

There remains some question as to the extent to which we should recommend that practitioners achieve these levels. It probably would not be realistic, for example, to require practitioners to achieve Bronze across the board; rather, it might be better to require programs have at least somebody on the staff at Bronze in each category which is important to them. Collectively, a staff could achieve Bronze level; this approach might be a more realistic goal.

Credit-Where-Due Dept.: Several members of the Massachusetts Adult Literacy Technology Team (MALTT) contributed to the content of these competencies in 1997-98, but the chief designer, compiler, coder and wizard behind the original Web version was Steve Linberg, formerly of the Holyoke Adult Learning Opportunities (HALO) Center, presently of the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL).

Please send comments, questions and additions to either: David Rosen (SABES Boston/ALRI) or Kenny Tamarkin (SABES Northeast).

Note to text-only users: This document is formatted using tables. If you are using Lynx, the page probably will look awful. If you are using a graphic browser to view the document, it will be fine.

Hardware

	Tin	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Storage of information	Know that documents must be saved to disk in order to be permanent and that losing power to a computer will lose any unsaved data	Know to save files before quitting; understand difference between RAM and magnetic storage media; know how to back up data onto diskettes; understand good backup philosophy	Know how to use backup software to make large-scale archives on large-capacity removable media (tape backups, removable hard disks, writeable CDs, etc.); know how to use compression software (PKZIP, Stuffit, GZIP, etc.) as appropriate	Understand capacities of different media (diskettes, hard disks, optical disks, removable hard disks (Syquest, Jaz, Zip, etc.), CD-ROM, tape backups); know how to choose appropriate media; how to repair damaged media, use tools to resurrect "crashed" disks & recover information
Differences between platforms	Know that there are different platforms (Mac, Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98 and others) that are still mostly incompatible and that decisions sometimes have to be made about which platform to use	Know that applications are generally platform-dependent, but data is "typed" (e.g., text, binary data, wp, image, voice, video) and is generally platform-independent but application-type-dependent	Can transfer data between platforms; know strengths and weaknesses of each and choose when appropriate	Can maintain simultaneous, parallel environments with machines of different platforms (particularly Macintosh, Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98)
Machine usage	Can sit down at a powered-up machine with prestarted application and enter or manipulate basic data (i.e., type, or play a game using mouse)	Can turn on & off safely; launch and quit applications; type, use mouse and interface (windows, menus)	Can connect/disconnect basic components (mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer); perform basic maintenance (e.g. clean mouse)	Can install cards, drivers, perform intermediate maintenance/troubleshooting (e.g., examine cards for secure connections, test components & peripherals for functionality)
Service	(N/A)	Can verify computer, monitor & components plugged in and powered on	Can check to verify components (printer, scanner, speakers, etc) properly connected	Can test drives, media, video, sound; run diagnostic utilities to get additional information

Application Software

	Tin	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Word processing	Can type into an open document, delete characters, move cursor with mouse and arrow keys	Can type text, make basic corrections to text, use spell checker; save files; print files	Can format text; save in different file formats; import graphics into document -- capable of using most formatting features of word processing program	Can automate repetitive tasks (e.g. use macros), transfer data of different types between applications, import other data types (e.g. spreadsheet data into WP doc); can understand and teach document design
Spreadsheets	Can enter values into an open spreadsheet, understand 2-D nature of data	Can enter data into cells; use simple formulas (i.e. @sum)	Can use basic formulas, basic arithmetic routines; set up spreadsheets for appropriate tasks	Can use macros, import/export data; can understand and teach spreadsheet design
Graphics	Can use basic paint tools in an open graphics program	Can use paint programs, basic tools; save files; print files	Can use advanced paint tools (e.g. gradients), use basic drawing package and understand difference between bitmaps & objects, export graphics to WP & other apps	Can combine paint & drawing, import & export to different file formats (PICT, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, etc) dependent on destination and need (printing, web pages, b&w / color)
Database	Can enter data in an open database form or screen	Can enter data, understand difference between field-record-database	Can search, sort, use wildcards; can set up a flat-file database	Can import/export to/from text, tab- or other-delimited formats; translate loose, unformatted text into importable data; Can design, debug, and implement a relational database
DTP	Can type in open document (that is, as word processing)	Can type letter, use basic formatting, print/save	Can create newsletter with advanced formatting (columns, etc.), mix text & graphics	Can create HTML documents (either manually or via editor), integrate sound/video/other data types in document
Tools/utilities	(N/A)	(N/A)	Can run basic diagnostic applications (MSD, Norton Utilities, etc.), use anti-virus software	Can perform advanced diagnostic/repair functions, repair damaged files & disks, back up & recover damaged disks, etc
Tutorial/simulation	Can do very basic manipulations in open application, understand nature of simulation	Following on-screen directions, can use and supervise student use of tutorial or simulation software	Can install and customize Tutorial/simulation software	Can appropriately integrate tutorial/simulation software into the curriculum, can evaluate the quality of tutorial/simulation software and assist instructors in selecting appropriate and useful programs

Internet Software

	Tin	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Net connectivity	Can launch an application that automatically establishes connection	Can sign on and establish connection; can recognize a bad or lost connection and reconnect	Can follow installation prompts to set up service; understand & specify IP numbers; set modem correctly	Can troubleshoot dial-up connection, verify IP#s and TCP stack settings, use higher-speed connections (ISDN, T1, T3, etc.), manage multiple accounts
Web browser	Can scrool through document, click links, understand hypertext	Can use hyperlinks, back button, enter URL manually, do basic search, print	Can use & manage bookmarks, download web documents & images for local use; can upgrade browser via downloading	Can find, install and use plug-ins; use secure space, manage advanced browser features (cache, cookies, etc)
E-mail	As word processing, and understand that e-mail must be sent over "live" connection and that incoming e-mail will "wait" until connection is established	Can send & receive basic email	Can forward, quote, import/attach text to message, write offline, use nicknames	Can retreive MIME attachments, decode UUencode, Base64, BinHex and other ascii representations of binary data, mass-mail
Newsreader	(N/A)	Understand usenet hierarchy, access groups, read articles, post simple articles; understand and use basic usenet net etiquitte	Create list of groups, reply via email, mark/unmark articles	Can use filters, killfiles, other advanced features
FTP	(N/A)	(N/A)	Can do basic download, anonymous login, locate & decompress downloaded files	Can download binary files, upload files, execute manual commands
Telnet	(N/A)	(N/A)	Telnet (via graphical shell) to MEOL or other servers, remote login, navigate prompts to use mail, use MUD (e.g. Schmooze)	Use Unix where appropriate, set ports manually, other advanced features
Publishing & sharing information	Understand that publishing on Internet is (relatively) cheap and easy, and needs to be approached thoughtfully	Can e-mail text via cut-and-paste	Can e-mail binary files via attachment	Can design & post web pages with basic HTML & images (Platinum: can write CGI scripts, JavaScript, and/or Java for extra-fancy stuff)
Collaborate over networks	(N/A)	Can participate in listserv discussion	Can use MUDs	Can use CU-SeeMe or other videoconferencing; can moderate listserv

Management

	Tin	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Diskettes	Understand that files can be saved on a disk, that disks are fragile and can be destroyed by heat, mutiliation or magnetism	Can format, determine available space	Can copy diskettes	Can use tools to repair damaged diskettes
Files	Understand that data is stored in files that may contain basically anything, that files are of different sizes and that most files will fit many to a disk, but that large ones may need more than one disk	Can copy files to / from diskette	Can create directories, move files, understand heirarchical file system, compress / decompress files	Can manage large heirarchical file system, organize tools, re-order scattered files
Applications	Understand that applications are the "verbs" of the computer world, the files that do things and allow users to create and manipulate data	Can install software by following installation prompts	Can use custom installation features, re-install components	Can uninstall applications (automatically or manually), reconfigure improperly configured / damaged applications
Networks	Understand that computers can be connected together in many different ways and that people can work together and collaborate over networks	Can use shared printer, files	(N/A)	Can manage / supervise network, create & delete users, assign priviliges
Operating systems	Understand that there are different operating systems (Macintosh, Windows) that are not always compatible	Can distinguish and name OS being used	Can make basic modifications to configurations (e.g. autoexec.bat / config.sys, extensions / control panels)	Can manage advanced OS aspects (memory configurations, device installations, driver compatibility), install new system software when appropriate

Getting help

	Tin	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Getting help!	Can scream!	Knows who to ask	Can read manual first	Can devise solutions / workarounds when no help is available, manually fix / patch broken things

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