Launched in 2022, the University of Maryland Extension's Marylanders Online initiative has worked to ensure no resident is left behind in an increasingly digital world. UME's Digital Literacy Project has produced tangible community benefits beyond basic digital literacy, extending to meaningful outcomes that enhance social, societal, educational, economic, and civic engagement. By leveraging the University of Maryland's land-grant mission and extension's statewide reach, Marylanders Online delivers targeted skills training, digital navigation and call-center support, resource development, and capacity-building reinforcement to address critical disparities in digital access. Read on for firsthand stories from the partners, navigators, and participants whose lives and communities are being transformed by the digital inclusion work led by UME Marylanders Online in partnership with the College of Information (INFO).
"I'm very impressed and very appreciative that UME plays such a central role in the state of Maryland in advancing discussions about digital literacy."
Community Partner
Community Partner Testimonials
"Marylanders Online has been phenomenal. We do other types of training, but their staff and their content delivered were exceptional. The level of engagement in those sessions - you can see their eyes light up, and it was just one of the best facilitators we've had on campus. The educators immediately latched on and understood the audience and were able to engage with them.
“As you know, the digital landscape is rapidly changing, and it's affecting all facets of our lives. The University of Maryland Extension is on the cutting edge of this effort - making digital inclusion truly possible.”
"Marylanders Online connects the people running programs to larger coalitions. They're informing policy on one end, and at the same time, providing a direct service. And I think that approach is so unique because it gives a very informed, across-the-board, wider view of policy and its real impacts on the community that is being impacted.”
“We've had clients who have come back and thanked us for the Marylanders Online class, because they've been able to use the skills to advance their careers or to find a job and to just do better work and become more efficient. Or the clients who have come to us and thanked us for connecting them to Montgomery College, where they've gone and advanced their education.”
"I can't say it enough - Marylanders Online is a huge benefit for us and a huge resource for us, and we're just trying to tap into it every single way in which we can."
"For the first time, I was able to register at the doctor's office using a computer by myself, and was even able to help another patient with the sign-in process."
Class Participant
Participant Testimonials
"I really learned the material needed and didn't feel uncomfortable. The trainer was a natural. I'm visually impaired, I was really computer illiterate, not computer savvy, and she didn't skip a beat."
I'm not as comfortable with computers as I would like to be, and I know who feels the same. Our Extension Educators were great trainers. They took the time to listen and respond/help when needed. I really enjoyed taking this class, and I hope there will be more like this in the future."
"My Marylanders Online instructor made me feel relaxed. I could ask questions without feeling dumb. She showed me ways to do things in more than one way. I asked questions, and sometimes she had to show me how to do things again. She always had a positive attitude and much patience with everyone who attended her classes."
" Como aprendiz del programa de Inteligencia Artificial de la Universidad de Maryland, púchica vos, esa experiencia estuvo maciza porque me enseñó a usar los programas de IA sin tanto enredo. No era solo teoría, sino que de una vez nos ponían a trabajar en proyectos reales, y eso me dio confianza para meterle mano a las herramientas y resolver cualquier reto. La cosa es que me ayudó a mejorar mis habilidades técnicas, pero también a pensar con más creatividad y a buscarle la vuelta a los problemas de manera práctica. En pocas palabras, como buen cipote salvadoreño, siento que ese aprendizaje me dio las bases para seguir creciendo y demostrar que con ganas y disciplina uno puede salir adelante, vea."
"As a trainee in the Artificial Intelligence program at the University of Maryland, I gained significant experience by learning to use AI tools efficiently. It wasn't just theory; they put us to work on real projects immediately, which gave me the confidence to use the tools and solve any challenge. It helped me improve my technical skills, think more creatively, and find practical ways around problems. In short, as a good Salvadoran “cipote”, I feel that this learning has given me the foundations to continue growing and to show that, with desire and discipline, one can move forward."
"Marylanders Online is a resource for all Marylanders - a help desk with a human touch.”
Tech Helpline Caller
Digital Navigator Testimonials:
"Marylanders Online is a resource for all, for anyone in the state of Maryland, who needs support in navigating technology.”
"A lot of organizations were not adopting digital inclusion because they did not have that support. They did not know where to get started. They did not know where to go in this field. I feel what Marylanders Online has created has the strongest impact--with building partnerships, making them feel empowered, like 'This is something that we can do.' For other organizations to feel that is where Marylanders Online has made the maximum impact."
"After completing a Digital Navigator train-the-trainer course through Marylanders Online, I started meeting pretty regularly with a community member to practice pretty fundamental skills - like mousing and typing. Since then, it has extended to applying for a new apartment and paying a bill online. And I know they wouldn't have been able to do that without my assistance."
"Marylanders Online has introduced trainings about accessibility, and after every one, you think of how these tools apply in real life. I had a client last year that really fit into this category - they had a disability but were still really interested in coming for a class, and it got my wheels going. I'm thinking about how I'm going to advocate for more accessible classrooms for some of the clients we're seeing. But without that knowledge, I would not even think about it. So there's been a couple of these Marylanders Online trainings that really have been eye-opening."
Read More Testimonials
Community Partners:
"This is an exceptional program that the organization and I greatly appreciate and look forward to continuing the partnership."
"Our Marylanders Online Extension Educator heard what the need was, and what the ‘what’ was. They wrote a whole program around that, and everyone just raved about how good it was and how personal it was. We serve a population that is somewhat underprivileged and below the poverty level, and when our residents say somebody made them feel good, that is the person that we want to stay in connection with.”
"I love the program, the staff, and the digital navigators who work directly with our clients. So this has just been amazing - Marylanders Online seamlessly just came in and fit within our system as well. And that's rare, because most other providers in the community fail to do that."
"Marylanders Online is extremely inclusive in terms of whether you want to be part of the digital equity work. If it's happening in Maryland, they'll connect you and help you find a space.”
"I've collaborated with the University of Maryland Extension's Marylanders Online, through the National Digital Education Extension Team (NDEET), as an instructional coordinator for the Digital Economy Program at the University of Idaho Extension. When Marylanders Online invited NDEET members to attend one of their statewide digital navigator trainings, it was very helpful to see how our colleagues in Maryland train their digital navigators, as we continuously seek to improve how we train ours in Idaho. Thank you for that opportunity!"
Digital Navigator Trainee Testimonials:
"One of my class participants was a principal in another country for 30 years. She has ever used the computer, ever. I remember that she was afraid to even touch the keyboard in that first session, and now she knows what the cloud is! She knows how to upload and download stuff, and it's like, ‘Okay, okay, what I'm doing makes a difference."
"Marylanders Online's Digital Navigator trainings are about how to serve underserved communities, and how to extend digital literacy - what this truly means for underserved communities. I think it's always good to have that reminder about why you do what you do, and also how to use different tools like AI in a classroom setting, but in a way that's relevant to the community that you're serving. AI is not something that we've embraced a lot in this space. And I'm trying to think of how we're going to incorporate that, and kind of introduce it to our community."
"The things I help the community with on a day-to-day basis are sending an email, or filling out an online form, but formalizing, or being able to put sort of formal language into tech skills that I already possessed, were very helpful. Because if you better understand something, the better you are able to teach it to someone. So connecting my casual anecdotal things to formal information that Marylanders Online provided - I would use the word ‘affirming,’ because a lot of the technical things that I was definitely improving upon, I would say a lot of the class content was reviewed. It's helpful to have a confirmation of the things I'm doing that are correct."
"I think another big win while teaching was also like teaching older adults how to look out for phishing scams, things like that. I treat these people that I teach like my grandparents, and try to keep them safe out there."
Class Participant Testimonials:
"The teacher was excellent and had extensive knowledge. She was patient. She was a good teacher. Informative and thorough. I have taken other classes, but I am very comfortable after this class."
"I learned technical terms and what they mean, and how to look up and search websites, especially favorite things or things that interest me. This class is great! I wish I had taken it sooner. My classroom neighbor found her high school graduation, and she was emotional about seeing her name on it. Our teacher helped her save it to her drive and phone so she could share it with her friends and family."
"These classes have given me the skills and confidence I needed to take practice GED exams and apply for jobs."
"The class, the instructor, the instructor's assistant, and the facility volunteer all coordinated to ensure the classes ran as smoothly as possible. They also made all students feel inclusive in the course, the material, and the class participation. The instructor was also very helpful with satisfying individual questions and issues, staying long after class had ended to help. The instructor is dedicated to the subject matter, responsive to students, and committed to ensuring the information is absorbed and useful, productive, and desirable to incorporate into our lives and future technology endeavors."
"Because of the teacher, she was so nice and helped us get on the computer. She stopped class when we had a question. We are all happy about the class."
"This class helped me get familiar with the computer and terminology. I learned how to research history, famous people, and places. Our instructor was a fun teacher and she is very knowledgeable."
" La inteligencia artificial ha sido una herramienta invaluable en mi vida diaria y en mi desempeño laboral. En mi trabajo, donde debo utilizar la computadora constantemente para recibir y enviar correos electrónicos, el apoyo de la inteligencia artificial me ha permitido realizar estas tareas con mayor rapidez, organización y confianza. ¡Y lo mejor es que ahora disfruto cada momento frente a la computadora! La inteligencia artificial me ha abierto puertas, me ha dado seguridad y me ha llenado de entusiasmo para seguir aprendiendo y creciendo. Hoy puedo decir con alegría que esta tecnología no solo me facilita la vida, sino que también me motiva a celebrar cada logro en mi trabajo y en mis estudios, con una sonrisa y con mucha energía positiva. "
Artificial intelligence has been an invaluable tool in my daily life and professional performance. In my job, where I must constantly use the computer to receive and send emails, the support of artificial intelligence has allowed me to perform these tasks with greater speed, organization, and confidence. And the best part is that I now enjoy every moment at the computer. Artificial intelligence has opened doors for me, given me security, and filled me with enthusiasm to continue learning and growing. Today, I can happily say that this technology not only makes my life easier but also motivates me to celebrate every achievement in my work and studies with a smile and a considerable amount of positive energy."