Digital Integration in LBS

Teaching WITH Technology while Strengthening Digital Skills

Leila reflects on teaching with digital tools in an interconnected world...


"When it comes to working with digital tools it’s not as linear as other areas we teach. It's harder because the digital world is interconnected. One link takes you to another link and another link takes you somewhere unpredictable. 

With traditional, non-tech-infused teaching, I think it's easier to chunk information and give instructions—'You do this and then this'—because it’s a linear method. 

But when it comes to working with digital tools it’s harder, but it’s more meaningful because students would be lost and confused very easily because of that greater layer of information."


Leila Naderi, an instructor with PTP Adult Learning and Employment Programs in Toronto reflects on our interconnected world

Digital Integration and The PICRAT Matrix


Some LBS practitioners may be quite familiar with the SAMR model  for technology integration, especially if they recently participated in training workshops offered by AlphaPlus on building digital skills in the Google Workspace and in Office 365.

The PAL Working Group consulted the SAMR model, but gravitated toward the PICRAT Matrix which focuses on what the learner was is doing with the technology. The PICRAT Matrix is an extension of the RAT framework for digital integration.

Here's a handy slide deck that you can use to explore the PICRAT Matrix to situate activities and levels of learner engagement

The PICRAT Matrix Overview and Movable Printable Activity

Looking at Digital Integration for Practitioners and Learners

We've taken a deep look at several different models; however, the one I personally found most useful was the PICRAT Matrix because of its flexibility for adult learners and their instructors.

—Joe Spencer

PICRAT—A Tool for Reflecting with Your Learners

PICRAT is another way of looking at digital activities and it could be a systematic approach that can be used for reflecting. 

I feel I could use this matrix with my group of students and explore HOW we are engaging with the technology and when we're being more creative or passive with the technology.

You're not going to use this matrix with every single activity, but for an overall reflection of what you're doing, I think it does have some value. 

—Georgina Smith


IF YOU WORK WITH LOW LEVEL LEARNERS, you may find John's insights useful...

CONSIDER how the PICRAT Matrix tool for his lower level learning  cohort can still be useful in the most realistic of ways...

"Our niche here is low level learners, OALCF Level 1's, And it is very difficult to put a lot of tech onto people who can't handle a lot of tech.

It would be great to get up into the top right hand corner of the PICRAT Matrix where students are creating stuff and where they're thinking and transforming their workspace. But practically speaking, if I can even get them a little bit closer to the middle of that bottom left area on the matrix, that is a more realistic goal... "



John Stackhouse, an LBS instructors with The Literacy Group reflects on digital integration 

"It's best to be realistic and make using digital tools reasonable and relatable for low level learners who are just learning the basics. 

As far as enhancements go, I think this is one of those cases where we can't shoot for the stars and accept hitting the moon. But we have to make it reasonable and relatable." 



BUILDING CONFIDENCE DESPITE GAPS - FINAL.pdf

YOU MAY WISH TO USE THIS CHART AS A REMINDER to make tasks manageable and go slowly as learners are exposed to technology they may find overwhelming.

Authentic Contexts  and Digital Practices
Building Skills in Digital Spaces

In today's digitally-infused world it simply makes practical sense in the course of our teaching practice to integrate digital skills with literacy and numeracy. Indeed, as the pace of technology is so head-spinning, digital skills are inserted in every aspect of our lives.

For which purpose, with whom and in which space adults use technology—their digital practices —is how people tend to frame their digital goals. 

For example, an adult learner might say:


The nine (9) Skills for Success—Writing, Numeracy, Reading, Communication, Digital, Problem Solving, Collaboration, Creativity & Innovation, and Adaptability—certainly all work together when adult learners are tackling tasks and activities within the flow of a lesson.


AlphaPlus has done a re-thinking of the Skills for Success framework when it comes to instruction

The concept of digital practices —  i.e. social communicative activities that are shaped by their purpose and situation — are often used to organize instruction.  Digital practices also involve multiple modalities such as graphics, text, video, voice, numbers, sound, etc. 

As noted above, adult learners often express their learning aspirations as digital practices...

What first looks like a non-digital practice, such as reading to children or preparing for a paper-based test, can have digital access points, such as using an online library catalogue or registration and booking requirements."

NOTE: The diagram makes it clear that many digital practices in the work, learning and life realms take place in digital spaces.

For example, you no longer have to go to a physical library or a to a Service Ontario to access services. Accessing these services in physical spaces is now also done more and more online.

So what does this mean for teaching and digital integration?

While viewing our teaching practice as facilitating skills strengthening, keeping in mind the new prominence of digital spaces and access points with respect to real-life digital practices help us to design more integrated and contextualized learning experiences.

In fact, it's not only practitioners who have come to see the prominence of digital practices in the 21st century, but adults in LBS programs have also come to realize the importance of navigating and living in digital spaces, as was discovered by members of the working group when they went directly to their learners to ask about their digital practices.

CHECK OUT our PAL Action Research where we went directly to learners to ask what they do and want to do with technology.

Favourite Tools for Digital Integration

Favourite Digital Tools for Engagement - Final.pdf

The PAL working group created a resource to share with the field that showcases some of their favourite digital tools they often use.

The table includes the following:


CONSIDER interrogating your favourite tools in a similar manner.

Some relevant digital activities in which LBS learners find value

Relevant and Meaningful Digital Activities FINAL.pdf

An excellent reminder for the choice of digital tools is to also examine their USEFULNESS for real-world applications and practices.


TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE DIGITAL ACTIVITIES / TOOLS chosen by the PAL working group members and why their learners find them useful and transferrable to other scenarios.


TAKE A LOOK:  The resource below that may help you to further  look at skills strengthening through the lens of engaging WITH technology.
Please note that the digital practices for learning that are transferrable to other spaces (e.g. learning on Zoom and meeting with a physician entail digital practices that  require a group of similar skills)

ACTIVITIES and DIGITAL TOOLS for Honing Higher Order Skills FINAL.pdf