Page Inspect

Home | Northstar Digital Literacy



Skip to main content

- About
- Features
- Pricing
- Build Your Skills
- Contact Us
- Language:

English
- Log in

# Increase Digital Skills for your constituents through Northstar Digital Literacy!
Northstar is a program of  Northstar Digital Literacy helps subscribing organizations to provide constituents with tools to master the digital skills needed to work, learn, and participate fully in daily life.

## Assessments

Online, self-guided assessments measure basic skills in each of 18 areas, allowing individuals to identify current skills and opportunities for learning new skills. Learn more.

Try an assessment now

* * *

## Education

Educational materials provide for self-guided online learning, one-on-one digital navigation, and instructor-led classes. Northstar standards define the basic skills needed to perform tasks on computers and online.

Learn More

* * *

## Reports

Individuals and instructors see progress and opportunities for learning, including organizational statistics on number of learners, number of assessments, and percentage of assessments passed.

Learn More

Northstar is used by libraries, adult education centers, community colleges, healthcare systems, businesses, workforce centers, correctional facilities, and more. Subscribe today to help close the digital literacy gap!

## Our Mission

To help individuals around the world master the digital skills needed to work, learn, and participate fully in daily life.

- 10.89M assessments taken
- 3203 locations
- 16 curricula
- 15 NSOL topics

## How It Works

**Northstar Digital Literacy** defines the basic skills needed to use a computer and the internet in daily life, employment, and higher education.

Watch the video

- **Online, self-guided assessments measure mastery of basic skills in each of 18 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.

## Here is what organizations are saying:

* * *

> Northstar has helped instructors and learners understand that digital literacy can be taught and supported at every level, regardless of background, experience, or language.
>
> — Michael Matos
> Chicago Citywide Literacy Coalition

> Northstar continues to be a key partner for Goodwill Industries International and our network of 156 local Goodwill organizations. The literacy assessments, and supporting curriculum, allow Goodwill to provide quality and relevant digital literacy training to those that we serve, including people who are unemployed or underemployed, veterans and military families and people impacted by the criminal justice system. Together, we’re helping to place individuals into sustainable careers. Thanks for your continued engagement, collaboration, and support!
>
> — Mike Hall
> Manager of Training Programs
> Goodwill Industries International, Inc.

> We are grateful to the leadership at Literacy Minnesota for assisting Louisiana with identifying the tools and standards that will allow us to better assist our higher education and ABE communities. With their support we have been able to make immediate progress on bridging the digital divide.
>
> — Teri Oaks Gallaway, Ph.D.
> Executive Director and Associate Commissioner for LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network

## Take an Assessment

Want to test what you know? Complete any of the following online assessments.

If you want to save your results to a Northstar location,

enter its 4-digit PIN and click Go:  Invalid PIN. Please try again.

If you are not part of a Northstar location yet, but would like to earn a certificate for passing the assessments, find a Northstar location near you.

## Essential Computer Skills

- Phone Keyboard Basics & Logging In
- Basic Computer Skills
- Internet Basics
- Using Email
- Windows 10
- Windows 11
- Mac OS

## Essential Software Skills

- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Google Docs

## Using Technology in Daily Life

- Social Media
- Information Literacy
- Career Search Skills
- Your Digital Footprint
- Supporting K-12 Distance Learning
- Accessing Telehealth Appointments
- New Cybersecurity Basics

## News & Announcements

### Northstar Revisions Project
September 23, 2024

### Northstar Digital Literacy Webinar: Getting Started with Northstar (Mon. Dec. 8th, 2025)
May 8, 2024

### Getting Started with Northstar: View Previous Webinar
December 8, 2021

## Facebook

> Northstar Digital Literacy Project

## Northstar is a program of Literacy Minnesota
### formerly Minnesota Literacy Council

Literacy Minnesota is an internationally recognized non-profit leader and driving force behind the latest developments in literacy learning. We believe literacy has the power to advance equity and justice, and we envision a world where life-changing learning is within everyone’s reach. Get more information on our educational resources and programs.

Stay in the loop on updates and opportunities by subscribing to our newsletter.

Enter your first name  Enter your last name  Enter your email address

### About

- Overview
- News
- FAQs

### Features

- Assessments
- Northstar Online Learning (NSOL)
- Curriculum
- Northstar Standards

### Pricing

- Pricing
- Joining
- Benefits
- Tiers

### Build Your Skills

- Ways to Build Your Skills
- Map
- Why Take at a Northstar Location?

### Contact Us

### Solutions

- Medicare Advantage

### Get Social With Us

- Facebook
- Twitter / X
- YouTube

* * *

© 2012-2025 NDL • Northstar is a program of Literacy Minnesota

Accessibility • Privacy Policy • Terms of Service • Northstar Location Agreement

Northstar Digital Literacy
A program of Literacy Minnesota

700 Raymond Avenue, Suite 180
St. Paul, MN 55114