Northstar Digital Literacy
Northstar Digital Literacy defines the basic skills needed to use a computer and the internet in daily life, employment, and higher education.
Online, self-guided assessments measure mastery of basic skills in each of 15 areas.Test takers can receive certificates and/or digital badges when they pass Northstar assessments in a proctored environment at a Northstar location. When test takers are logged in to Northstar Online Learning, the Northstar assessment result page links to self-directed online learning practice for skills not yet mastered. Once test takers pass the Northstar assessments, which certify basic skills, they are qualified to pursue more advanced training, certifications, or career pathways elsewhere.
Classroom curricula provide detailed lesson plans for teachers, and can be used remotely or in person.
Lesson plans are learner-centered and interactive. The lessons give learners multiple opportunities to build digital literacy skills through practice tasks. Each lesson plan includes a detailed teacher prep guide. Northstar also provides remote teaching pages and a Remote Teaching Guide to provide pointers on using the curricula remotely. Lessons are structured to include warm-ups, daily objectives, practice tasks, digital literacy vocabulary work, and wrap-ups.
Northstar Online Learning (NSOL) provides individualized online instruction and practice.NSOL provides original online content that learners can access independently. When learners complete an assessment, they are automatically directed to the NSOL content corresponding to what they still need to learn. Northstar locations can create learner accounts, which track NSOL work and assessments completed by the learners.
NorthStar continues to make good progress on developing the remaining self-directed practice Northstar Online Learning (NSOL) lessons, and translating materials into Spanish:
- Spanish language versions of Google Docs, Social Media, Career Search, and Your Digital Footprint assessments and NSOL have been released. We have also released a Spanish language version of the Supporting K-12 Distance Learning assessment. Translation of Information Literacy will be completed soon, at which point all of our assessments and existing NSOL units will be available in Spanish!
- NSOL Internet Basics has been revised for increased mobile compatibility. NSOL IB is the first module revised for increased mobile compatibility. We plan to revise other modules to be mobile compatible as resources allow.
- Spanish language translations are now available for the curricula for Using Email, as are Remote Learning Pages for Basic Computer Skills, Internet Basics and Using Email.
- The Northstar Online Learning (NSOL) module for Telehealth is still in development, with an estimated release this fall.
NorthStar has also released an updated version of Accessing Telehealth Appointments:
- The Telehealth assessment, addressing the skills needed to successfully access and complete virtual visits with healthcare providers, was initially published in April 2022. Corresponding curriculum resources followed shortly.
- Northstar recently released an edited version of the Telehealth assessment with the goal of increasing complexity in order for learners to show thorough competency in accessing telehealth portals to schedule, attend, and navigate virtual appointments within a portal. These revisions were made based on assessment data, along with feedback from subject matter experts and Northstar users. The Telehealth assessment is modeled from the authentic user experience when accessing telehealth appointments in a health care platform.
Northstar Digital Literacy
A program of Literacy Minnesota
Our mailing address is:
700 Raymond Avenue, Suite 180
St. Paul, MN 55114