Upskill with Edtech

In our third season, we will explore the new Profile of a Lifelong Learner, a framework that defines the digital skills needed for success in the future of work. Released in late 2020, the Profile includes five Features that unpack the intersection of digital and lifelong learning skills. Nested under each Feature are three Practices - habits that adult learners, job seekers, and workers should develop to thrive at work, in school, and in community life.

Our hope is that the research-backed Profile will help job seekers, workers, and job coaches build new skills that effectively prepare today’s workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Check out skillrise.org/profile to explore the framework and learn about the methodology for how it was developed.

In our first episode, we explore the first of five Profile Features: Lifelong Learner. Joining us for the conversation are three of our SkillRise advisors:

• Jaime Fall, Director of Upskill America at the Aspen Institute
• Deb Everhart, Chief Strategy Officer at Credential Engine
• Orlando Cazarez, Senior Program Manager at the Center for the Future of Arizona

In this episode, we talk about:

• The importance of lifelong learning.
• Why employers are adding educational benefits to their compensation packages
• How job seekers can be thinking about upskilling, lifelong learning, and how to navigate the new world of work.
• How credentials and learner employment records can support lifelong learning and skills-based hiring systems.

Notes from Episode 1

• ISTE’s SkillRise Initiative
• About the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
• The Profile of a Lifelong Learner, a research-backed framework that defines the digital skills needed to thrive in the future of work.
• The Profile Micro-learning Experience, a 10-minute mobile-friendly interactive that introduces the Profile and how its Features come to life at school, at work, and in community life.
• Guests on this episode:
  • Deb Everhart, Chief Strategy Officer
    • Credential Engine
    • On LinkedIn: @deboraheverhart
    • On Twitter: @ariadne4444
  • Orlando Cazarez, Senior Program Manager
    • RetaiWorks AZ Initiative
    • Center for the Future of Arizona
    • On LinkedIn: @azorlando
    • On Twitter: @OCAZAREZ
  • Jaime Fall, Director
    • Upskill America
    • The Aspen Institute
    • On LinkedIn: @jaimefall
    • On Twitter: @Jaimen8r
  • Hosted by Brandon Olszewski, Director of Research
    • International Society for Technology in Education
    • On LinkedIn
    • On Twitter

On this episode of Upskill With Edtech Brandon Olszewski sits down with Lea Downing, an ISTE SkillRise Project Manager; Jamie Harris, an Education Program Specialist focused on Adult Education and Literacy Services at the Maryland Department of Labor; and Kelly Middleton Banks, the Manager of Program Implementation at the National Association of Workforce Boards. Together they discuss the new Profile of a Lifelong Learner created by ISTE and the process for creating useful frameworks and profiles.

The podcast also dives into the importance of digital literacy, upskilling and, as always, the importance of being a lifelong learner. This podcast serves as a reminder that all adults are learners and that these skills not only impact professional lives, but personal lives as well.

On this episode of Upskill with Edtech, Brandon sits down with Sarah Caccio, Senior Project Director of Adult Learning at Digital Promise; Neda Anasseri, Coordinator of Technology Projects at the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN); and Priyanka Sharma Project Director at World Education and Co-Director of the Digital US coalition to discuss some of the opportunities and impending needs that have surfaced in the edtech and upskilling world as a result of COVID-19.

On today’s episode of Upskill With Edtech Brandon sits down with Richard Culatta, Chief Executive Officer of ISTE to discuss how the SkillRise initiative fits into ISTE’s larger vision and how trends in work and learning continue to inform and inspire one another. Richard’s decorated experience enables him to speak knowledgeably on policy, international trends, edtech and equity.

The podcast also dives into the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the learning landscape to place more emphasis on many of the traits that drive SkillRise: lifelong learning, learner agency, edtech, equity and ensuring that learning is directly applicable to day-to-day life.
The Upskill With Edtech podcast series is produced by Getting Smart as part of ISTE’s SkillRise initiative. Our editor and music man is Trevor Stout. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen. For additional valuable ideas about edtech, adult learning, and upskilling, check out SkillRise.org, where you can download the SkillRise framework and find other great resources. You can also keep up to date by following our Twitter feed @SkillRiseOrg or you can join the conversation in our Workforce EdTech LinkedIn Group. Thanks for tuning in!

Notes:

• 2:45 Richard discusses the role of SkillRise in the larger ISTE vision.
• 4:40 Richard speaks to ISTE’s commitment to equity and access and how that is informed, strengthened and challenged by the current cultural moment.
• 7:00 Richard goes deeper on the ways in which tech can (and should) increase access.
• 9:16 Richard talks about the opportunity of the pandemic, an opportunity to reimagine and fix things that need changing — but it will not be easy.
• 11:00 Richard talks about reboarding when returning from COVID-19 and how these conversations need to include featuring new voices, address inequities and more.
• 12:32 Richard discusses how his work and things he has observed in K12 have helped see a way forward for the workforce, and vice versa.
• 14:30 Richard points out how K12 could learn from the workforce by making sure that roles and learnings are practical and applicable.
• 16:00 Richard discusses trends in policy and the growth of the widening variety of “learning sources” and how this impacts K12, higher ed and the workforce.
• 17:30 Richard discusses how the learning model must (and is) shifting to better merge the experience of school and work, beginning with shifting the mindset towards that of lifelong learning.
• 20:17 Richard points out the obstacles and barriers to entry that leaders will have to overcome to actualize ongoing learning. This begins with the importance of including different perspectives.
• 22:55 Richard reflects on one of the shortcomings of adult learning.

On today’s episode of Upskill With Edtech, we speak with Joey Lehrman, Lea Downing, Tiffany Thomas and Daffiny Peters. Joey, Lea and Tiffany worked together to create a distance learning program at Delgado Community College which has now scaled to serve over 1,500 students annually across 15 partner agencies throughout Louisiana. The group then gets the chance to speak with Daffiny, a current student in the distance learning program.
This conversation ranges from how the program was started, to developing curriculum, to scaling, to the importance of distance learning, the student experience and much more.
The Upskill With Edtech podcast series is produced by Getting Smart as part of ISTE’s SkillRise initiative. Our editor and music man is Trevor Stout. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen. For additional valuable ideas about edtech, adult learning, and upskilling, check out SkillRise.org, where you can download the SkillRise framework and find other great resources. You can also keep up to date by following our Twitter feed @SkillRiseOrg or you can join the conversation in our Workforce EdTech LinkedIn Group. Thanks for tuning in!

• 2:55 Lea talks about what Delgado community college is and what sets it apart.
• 3:36 Tiffany goes deep on why they created a distance learning program
• 4:37 Joey discusses the growth of their distance learning program and how it scaled from a community college to a statewide offering.
• 6:49 Joey discusses curating information, curriculum and more.
• 8:00 Joey discusses adopting a learning management system (LMS) and the benefits that they’ve found with Google Classroom as an adult learning LMS.
• 11:05 Lea goes long on curriculum development, using standards as guides and meeting student needs.
• 15:52 Tiffany talks about the student experience, how to ensure success with distance learning and speaks with Daffiny, a current student.
• 19:12 Tiffany interviews Daffiny about her experience as a student.
• 22:33 Tiffany discusses supporting staff in the transition to digital.
• 23:55 Lea talks about the importance of being a role model and demonstrating resiliency.
• 26:38 Joey discusses mindsets and his optimism about colleagues rising to the occasion.
• 27:40 Lea talks about living in an era of uncertainty, the search for best practices
• 28:52 Tiffany talks about the importance of support for your staff, learning and the program.
• 29:35 Daffiny discusses the importance of perseverance.