Directorate of Human Resources Characterising the digitally literature learner Dr. Rhona Sharpe Oxford Brookes University [email protected]

Directorate of Human Resources

Characterising the digitally literature

learner

Dr. Rhona Sharpe

Oxford Brookes University

[email protected]

Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development

Key findings

• Learners have high expectations across e.g. access, communication and functionality. They expect to be able to use personal technology and personalise institutional technology.

• The Internet is the first port of call for information. Learners see the Internet as a shared pool of information. Some have developed sophisticated search strategies, others contribute their own content.

• There is an ‘underworld’ of social networking which is being used to support learning


“For me, it helped with the continuity in between face-to-face lessons on the classroom. I like the fact that every day, or whenever I felt like it, I could just go in and practice [sic].”

University of Deepshire internal evaluation, 2006

"For some people who suffer from disabilities and have no choice but to take time out, it is an enormous benefit in order to keep up with what is happening in lectures and what areas to read up on. Brilliant!!!".

University of Eastonhall VLE Survery

1. Expectations of flexibility


1. Expectations of personalisation

“I use my laptop. I take it away, it's attached to me. I couldn't survive without it.”

Emma, undergraduate business student, JISC LEX Report

“VLEs are owned by the institution, and the e-portfolio is owned by me.”

Emma in JISC Learner Voices video


2. Internet for information

“Which means if I type in genetics, and I’ve got stuck on something you can turn up other people’s lectures and that is quite common, .. …it’s too much to ask one university to provide all those teaching resources. So it’s a bit of an online pool”

(LXP Final Report, p.22)


3. Underworld

So my [group] we always text each other and say, ‘oh are you coming in at this time’ or ‘we’ll meet at this time’, and so it looks on the face of it from the university website that we haven’t been communicating all year but we have.

(Nicola, postgraduate law student)

Yeah, I write blog nearly everyday, that is when I look into these things, and I think something is important, I write it in my blog, as a notebook ...but my .. course cannot see it.

(LXP Final Report, p 44)


We’ve seen that

• learners are living and managing complex lives with holistic technology use and blurred boundaries between life and study,

• some learners have developed sophisticated uses of technology to support their learning.

• What can we learn from them?


Developing effective e-learners

Sharpe & Beetham: Future learners, future learning

access & ownership



access & ownership

e-learning skillse-writerse-investigatorse-collaborators

e-createe-collatee-collaboratee-investigate




Digital pioneersCreative producers Everyday communicators Information gatherers

access & ownership

e-learning skills

choices & strategies




access & ownership

e-learning skills


Con

cept

ions

of l

earn

ing


Conceptions of technology



access & ownership

e-learning skills

choices

creativeappropriation

Con

cept

ions

of l

earn

ing


Conceptions of technology



access & ownership

e-learning skills



e.g. using online social networks, using IM to do groupwork, podcasts on the bus, recording lectures on mobile for revision

choices about attendance

organising time

gaining access to computer

Managing flexibility



access & ownership

e-learning skills



Mixing and matching synchronous and asynchronous communications to manage group task

giving & receiving feedback

language of IM, public participation

Installing IM client

Managing discussions



access & ownership

e-learning skills


creativeappropriation user created,

synthesized content

sophisticated search strategies

evaluating online sources

downloading lecture notes

Managing knowledge


Digital literacies?

• Building and participating in virtual and face-to-face communities to obtain and validate information and to seek support and companionship.

• Making good choices to manage time in blended/online courses and balance study with other commitments.

• Freely blending familiar personal and institutional technology to improve their learning potential.

• Creating and synthesizing own representations of knowledge from available information

• Exploiting the potential of technology for learning as appropriate.


Beetham, H. & Sharpe, R. (eds) (2007) Rethinking Pedagogy for the digital age: designing and delivering e-learning. Routledge, London.

Ellis, Goodyear, O’Hara & Prosser (2007) The university student experience of face to face and online discussions: coherence, reflection and meaning. ALT-J, 15 (1), 83-97.

Green, H. & Hannon, C. (2007) Their space: education for a digital generation, Demos Green, H. & Hannon, C. (2007) Their space: education for a digital generation, Demos report available at www.demos.co.uk/publications/theirspace

Madonald, J. (2006) Blended learning and online tutoring. Gower

References


Sharpe, R. & Benfield, G. (2007) Wider opportunities for reflection, learning and development (myWorld): Evaluation Report. January 2007.

Sharpe, R., Benfield, G., Roberts, G. & Francis, R. (2006) The undergraduate experience of blended e-learning: a review of UK literature and practice undertaken for the Higher Education Academy. At www.heacademy.ac.uk/4884.htm

Sharpe, R., Benfield, G., Lessner, E., & DeCicco, E. (2005) Learner Scoping Study: Final Report, available from www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=elp_learneroutcomes.

Sweeney, J., O'Donoghue, T. and Whitehead, C. (2004). 'Traditional face-to-face and web-based tutorials: a study of university students' perspectives on the roles of tutorial participants.' Teaching in Higher Education 9(3). July 2004, 311-323

References

Documents

Directorate of Human Resources Characterising the digitally literature learner Dr. Rhona Sharpe Oxford Brookes University [email protected]