To advance digital equity, the EdTech Center @ World Education designed and leads Digital US, an ambitious, national collective impact initiative between over 25 organizations. Digital US partners coalesced in 2019 with a shared mission to ensure that all of us have the technology access and skills and digital resilience to thrive in work and life by 2030. Digital US coalition members represent employers, service organizations, policymakers, technology developers, and philanthropists. The coalition laid out its main strategies in the report, Building a Digital Resilient Workforce: Creating On-Ramps to Opportunity.
One key strategy is engaging employers to catalyze large investment in digital skills development, make training available to harder-to-reach adults through their workplaces, advise on in-demand digital skills, and more. The EdTech Center, with seed support from Wiley and in collaboration with the Upskill America at Aspen Institute, is convening Digital US’ Employer Network Advancing Digital Equity and Inclusion.
The coalition also continues to advance work on developing shared national digital skills frameworks and increasing access to just-in-time in person or virtual supports for technology and digital skills through use of digital navigators. Less than 10% of the 32 million adults who need to learn to use a computer in the U.S. are able to access digital literacy classes. With funding from Walmart, the EdTech Center @ World Education in early 2020 collaborated with some of its Digital US Coalition and other partners to develop and refine a service model for offering “digital navigator” services; coordinate pilots to demonstrate impact and replicability; and develop a Digital Navigator Playbook, a hub for digital inclusion resources, and a community of practice to facilitate national scaling.
World Education strives to build lasting relationships with partners across diverse geographic regions and technical sectors to produce better education outcomes for all.
