From Learners to Leaders: Scaling Digital Literacy with Digital Navigators through a Train-the-Trainer Curriculum

Abstract

This paper reports on the pilot implementation of the MONET (Marylanders Online Navigation Education Toolkit ) Curriculum, a train-the-trainer curriculum designed to equip digital navigators with the skills and confidence to address digital inequities across Maryland. Developed through an iterative, practitioner-informed process in partnership with a public library, MONET strengthens foundational digital literacy and enables digital navigators to better support their communities. Drawing on quantitative performance metrics from five online modules and qualitative evidence from community service reports, this study provides an initial account of how the MONET curriculum supports the development of digital literacy across diverse communities. The findings contribute to research on digital inclusion by providing early evidence of how a train-the-trainer approach can inform the development of impactful digital literacy support systems.