Internet introduction adults course

Description

Creating an OER resource to introduce adult learners to the wider uses and possibilities of the internet (beyond the basics of email, Facebook, and YouTube).

What are wider uses of the internet? How would a resource to teach the possibilities look?

Are people learning how to use email correctly? Some people have no idea how to use a mailing list. The wider use, could be a more indepth understanding. This is true for YouTube. People need training how to use the search correctly, and then there is the possibilities of uploading of content. From video-logs to voice over video games.

Can be used by a wide range of educators as online content or to support blended instruction.

It should be fun and simple to use. It is also broken down into the following sections. This allows learners to direct their interest or educators to choose particular sections to use and/or adapt in ways that fit their needs.

Share stuff

Talk about stuff

Create stuff

Play with stuff

Control stuff

Learn stuff

Find stuff

The material is developed in three 'layers'

• An encouragement to engage

• A brief, engaging introduction to each of the areas (animated with voice over or video)

• Activities that learners can 'try out' to get them to start trying free tools to do more online.

The audience

The material is designed for adults of any age who have some familiarity with basic internet functions - e.g. using Facebook, watching YouTube videos, sending emails, using basic Google search functions - but who do not know what else can be achieved online and/or lack the confidence to engage.

What is the goal?

Learners will:

• Increase their knowledge of what they can do online
• Increase their confidence in engaging with online tools
• Increase their digital skill level

Learners may choose to continue to use particular tools or not, but the idea is to expose them to ideas about what can be achieved, and support them to 'try some things out' in areas that might interest them. The material uses a high level of scaffolding in order to support learner confidence and skill development.

How will the material be developed?

We have started developing the learner material using the open source Adapt authority tool.

We will also develop a range of facilitator guides to support educators to use the material with online facilitated, blended, or online groups.

Being developed by

Trish Summers

Melita Farley

Kevin Double

Project started during New Zealand's OER Sprint 2016 (Whanganui).