Developing Digital Literacies in UK HE and FEwork funded by the JISC 2008-2012

Helen BeethamProgramme synthesis consultant

What do we mean by digital literacy?

By digital literacies we mean the sum of capabilities which

fit an individual for living, learning and working in a

digital society.

In HE/FE this might involve using digital tools: to undertake academic research; for writing

and critical thinking; to collect and analyse data; in professional

practices; in personal development planning; to

showcase achievements.

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academic and learning practices

information and media practices

socio-technical practices

slower changingcultural and institutional inertiaformal learninglifelong development

rapidly changingcommercial and social drivers

informal learningrapid obsolescence

What kind of capabilities?

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What kind of capabilities?

ICT/Computer Literacy the ability to adopt, adapt and use digital devices, applications and services in pursuit of scholarly and educational goals.

Information Literacy: the ability to find, interpret, evaluate, manipulate, share and record information, especially scholarly and educational information

Media Literacy: the ability to critically read and creatively produce academic and professional communications in a range of media.

Communication and Collaboration: the ability to participate in digital networks and working groups of scholarship, research and learning

Learning Skills: the ability to study and learn effectively in technology-rich environments, formal and informal

Digital scholarship: the ability to participate in emerging academic, professional and research practices that depend on digital systems

Identity development

What does higher and furtherlearning uniquely contribute?

Digital Literacy

2008 Learners' experiences of e-learning programme Students inhabit digitally-saturated personal/social worlds Technology choices are critical to identity and experience They expect 24/7 access to course informationBUT Students struggle to transpose digital skills to study tasks Academic staff skills/confidence and curriculum-based

activities are critical Even within programmes of study students vary widely

2008/10 Student expectations studies Prospective students unclear about the role technology could

play in learning at University Positive about using technology when educational benefits

are clear ICT access and facilities becoming a factor in student choice

Digital literacy as anaspect of the student experience

Digital Literacy

2009/10 Learning literacies in a digital age (LLiDA) studyPractices that underpin effective learning in a digital age:

are meaningful in the context of academic disciplines are an aspect of emerging identity require a confident but also a critical attitude to ICT are creative/productive as well as critical/assimilative are both formal and informal (and blur these boundaries) emerge in meaningful activities in which technologies support

the purpose authentically change continuously as values, practices and institutions of

knowledge change

Digital literacy as situated knowledge practices

www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/llida

Digital Literacy

Learners need meaningful learning experiences in which technology is intrinsic, including their own technologies

Different subject areas demand and support different kinds of digital capability

Support is fragmented Digital agendas are diverse and poorly defined, especially

'employability' Staff often lack

confidence tosupport studentseffectively

Entitlement vsenhancementagendas

Digital literacy as an institutional responsibility

www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/llida

Digital Literacy

Developing Digital Literacies #jiscdiglit

2011/13 funded programme promoting the development of coherent, inclusive and holistic institutional strategies and approaches for developing digital literacies in UK further and higher education

University of Greenwich University of the Arts London

University of Exeter Coleg Llandrillo

University of Plymouth University of Reading

University of Bath University College London

Oxford Brookes University Cardiff University

Worcester College Institute of Education

Plus ten sector bodies: ALDinHE, ALT, AUA, HEDG, ODHE, SCAP, SCONUL, SDF, SEDA, Vitae

www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/elearning/developingdigitalliteracies/

1. Institutional audit

1. Policy and strategy (public messages)2. Infrastructure (networks, buildings, spaces, hardware, software, data services, IT support)3. Support (professional services)

4. Practices (e.g. curriculum design, teaching, learning, research, KT, admin.)5. Expertise (courses, frameworks, IAG, sharing, development opps, recognition and reward)6. Culture (expectations, understanding, values, needs, attitudes, beliefs)

Findings: 'forward thinking institutions are'...

1. Joining up strategies2. Investing in infrastructure: mobile, data envmt, streaming media, cloud, VREs, BYOD3. Developing digital capabilities of teaching staff and professional services (professional services)

4. Innovating core processes: curriculum design, quality enhancement, RKT, teaching admin...5. Sharing expertise: recognising and rewarding pioneers including students6. Challenging expectations, understanding, values, needs, attitudes, beliefs

Motives for engaging in the DL agenda

Efficiency in core processesCapacity buildingGlobal marketsBorderless institutionsNew modes of participationPerceived vfm

EmployabilityGraduate attributesDigital reputationDigital capital/digital divide

New social practicesDigital media

Ubiquitous ICTStudent expectations

Digital scholarshipOpen publishing/open data

Digital academic mediaUbiquitous knowledge/data

Organisational priorities Educational digital practices

Personal digital practicesIndividual aspirations

2. Emerging themes

Digital literacies for further and higher education are: Multiple and complex Hybrid – academic practice + digital know-how Based in subject areas: disciplines, vocations,

professions Both generic and subject/role-specific Aspects of personal style – ownership, choice,

performance of identity Acquired and developed as needed – best practiced in

authentic contexts Often acquired from close peers if generic, but likely to require formal support if specialised

Digital capability is...

The claims of top departments to be pushing the boundaries of research require a sustained

engagement with digital scholarship. The claims of top teaching universities to offer a personal, relevant and engaging learning experience

demand sustained innovation in methods. Neither is possible unless universities rethink their offer... in terms of the digital experiences students have

and the digital practices they encounter (Beetham et al, 2009).

Further resources

JISC Developing Digital Literacies programme:

Developing Digital Literacies on the Design Studio

SEDA page on the Design Studio

Baselining Digital Literacies page

Learning Literacies in a Digital Age (original audit study)