Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is the ability to use digital tools to navigate, communicate, and create within the spaces one wants to occupy. Digital literacy skills are required to be effective as a student and within today’s workforce. The Digital Zone wants to help students build the skills they need and receive certifications to help achieve their goals.

Northstar Digital Literacy is a program that provides individualized training of essential skills required for computers and online resources. Within Northstar, there are three (3) standards-based modules:

  • Essential Computer Skills
  • Essential Software Skills
  • Use of Technology in Daily Life

Northstar learners can use self-guided modules to assess their ability to perform basic digital skills, receive guided online training, and complete official assessments to receive certifications that demonstrate their growth and accomplishments. These can be used as credentials within job applications to prove competency in the common tools of the workplace.

If you would like to use our tool for learning digital literacy and getting certified, click the button, complete the intake form*, and register.

Register for Northstar (CCD Students)
Register for Northstar (non-CCD Students)

If you are already registered, you can visit Northstar by clicking the following button and signing into your account using your Northstar username and password created upon registering.

Sign into Northstar

The Digital Zone created three supplemental videos to help students prepare for assessments that, as of Fall 2022, did not have lessons.

Watch Northstar Supplemental Videos

Who can use Northstar?

CCD Students

Students enrolled at Community College of Denver can receive support with Northstar through the Excel Zone's Digital Zone. They offer one-on-one coaching or workshops on digital literacy, including:

  • Northstar modules and assessments
  • CCDConnect
  • Navigating D2L
  • Using WebEx
  • Office 365
  • Video production with WeVideo

Digital Zone tutors can also proctor students who desire earning certifications in any Northstar module. All EXCEL professional tutoring is free to current CCD students and is located on the 4th floor of the Confluence building.

Support for CCD Students

Non-CCD Community Members

Non-CCD community members and organizations get support in Northstar Digital Literacy assessments with the TRIO-Educational Opportunity Center. In addition to Northstar, the EOC can assist with many other services, including:

  • Career Assessments and Exploration
  • GED vouchers and referrals
  • Financial Aid applications
  • Educational planning
  • Scholarship searches and applications
  • Educational Workshops (virtual and on-site)

Please contact the EOC at 303.352.8746 (TRIO) EOC@ccd.edu for an appointment or more information.

Support for Community Members

*Anyone interested in Northstar must start by registering through the intake form linked above through the purple button. If you have trouble with the intake form, please email ccd.excel@ccd.edu or call 303.352.6497 and leave a message with your name, and contact information about accessing Northstar. If you need ADA accommodations to engage fully with the Northstar tool, please contact the EXCEL Zone.