Digital Literacy & Learning
Digital Literacy & Learning
Our Digital Learning programs provide a pathway to online learning and skill-building opportunities. These initiatives connect participants to edX courses and HarvardX offerings, fostering workforce development and enriching the Allston-Brighton community through collaboration with Harvard faculty, students, and peers.
HarvardX Scholarship
The Harvard Ed Portal is proud to announce its 2026 HarvardX for Allston Scholarships!
The HarvardX for Allston Scholarship helps recipients enhance career opportunities, explore an interest, or learn something new. Recipients receive full coverage for the verified certificate fee on any one HarvardX course of their choice. You must be an Ed Portal member or Allston-Brighton resident to be eligible. Educators in Boston and Cambridge schools are also eligible.
Northstar Digital Literacy
Northstar Digital Literacy focuses on essential computer and internet skills that we use in everyday life. This platform offers interactive lessons and assessments covering topics like using email, navigating the internet safely, working with documents, and using social media responsibly. Whether you're looking to feel more confident sending emails to family, applying for jobs online, or simply want to keep up with today's digital world, Northstar is designed for beginners and those who want to strengthen their foundational computer skills at their own pace.
- Who can get access: Allston-Brighton residents and participants in Harvard Ed Portal programs
- How to get access: Email the Harvard Ed Portal at edportal@harvard.edu
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is your gateway to professional skill development, offering thousands of courses taught by industry experts across business, technology, and creative fields. From mastering Microsoft Excel and learning graphic design to developing leadership skills and understanding data analysis, this platform provides practical, job-focused training that can boost your career prospects. This service is ideal for working professionals looking to advance in their current roles, career changers wanting to develop new marketable skills, or anyone seeking to make themselves more competitive in today's job market.
- Who can get access: Allston-Brighton residents and participants in Harvard Ed Portal programs
- How to get access: Email the Harvard Ed Portal at edportal@harvard.edu
HarvardX Courses on edX
Experience a Harvard education from the comfort of your home with HarvardX courses on the edX platform. These free, university-level courses span diverse subjects including computer science, public health, literature, history, and philosophy, allowing you to explore new interests or deepen existing knowledge. HarvardX is perfect for lifelong learners, students looking to supplement their education, or anyone curious about academic subjects who wants to learn from world-renowned Harvard faculty.
All HarvardX courses have a free audit track that allows you to access course content for 30 days. Allston-Brighton residents and Cambridge educators can apply for the HarvardX for Allston scholarship that grants permanent access to a course and the ability to earn a Certificate of Completion.
- Who can get access to HarvardX for Allston Scholarships: Allston-Brighton residents and Cambridge educators
- How to get access HarvardX for Allston Scholarships: Application Submission
Harvard ManageMentor
Harvard ManageMentor is a comprehensive online leadership development resource designed to help you build essential management and professional skills. The platform offers practical tools, interactive lessons, and real-world case studies covering topics like effective communication, team management, strategic thinking, and personal productivity. This resource is best suited for current or aspiring managers, small business owners, team leaders, or professionals who want to develop the soft skills necessary for career advancement and workplace success.
Who can get access: Allston-Brighton Participants in ManageMentor programs
How to get access: Register online when sessions are available.
Past Events
Online Safety Series
From protecting private accounts to navigating social media and finding reliable information online, our Online Safety Series helped build the skills needed for today’s digital world. These beginner-friendly classes focused on real-life situations to use the internet more safely and confidently.
- Cybersecurity Basics
- Social Media Safety
- Information Literacy
Smart & Secure: Email Essentials
Email is one of the most important tools for staying connected. In this hands-on, interactive course, we covered the essentials of Gmail, sending and receiving messages, managing your inbox, and staying safe from scams - all in a friendly, step-by-step approach that anyone can follow. This course was for beginners who want to communicate effectively in today's digital world.
Computers were made available for participants to use during the class. Participants received an account with Northstar Online Learning to continue developing their skills.
Innovative Events & Programs
Digital Literacy Learning (DLL) Programs
Three new in-person programs at the Ed Portal are designed to build foundational computer skills for daily and professional use. Using NorthStar Digital Literacy assessments and curriculum, DLL programs accommodate up to 500 learners with ease.
Partnership Programs
Collaborations with community partners and other program areas to expand access to digital skills and resources.
For Advanced Learners
The HarvardX for Allston scholarship continues to offer opportunities to deepen skills at the Capstone level
