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Developing digital literaciesreview, reportback and prospects

Helen Beetham, ConsultantJISC Developing Digital Literacies programme

30 August 2013

Questions for today

•What has ‘digital literacy’ come to mean?•How is the digital literacy agenda changing cultures and practices (in UK universities and colleges)?•What can we still do with ‘digital literacy’ as an idea and as a long-term project?

Developing Digital Literacies programmeA two-year programme (2011-13) promoting and exploring 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 LlandrilloUniversity of Plymouth University of ReadingUniversity of Bath University College LondonOxford Brookes University Cardiff UniversityWorcester College Institute of Education

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

bit.ly/pHxQnS #jiscdiglit

http://bit.ly/pHxQnS

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What has ‘digital literacy’ come to mean?

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•focus on access and skills

•institutional / business systems

•passed on from specialists to students

•computers as distinct objects of knowledge

•formally acquired, testable, standardised

•focus on practices and identities

•devices, apps and services in the hands of learners

•students developing hybrid practices of their own

•data, communications, techno-social practices (device-neutral)

•often informally acquired, emergent, differentiated, personal, piecemeal, reactive, adaptive...


•what parallel (educational, digital) agendashave emerged over the same time frame?



‘understanding of computer characteristics, capabilities and applications, as well as an ability to implement this knowledge in the

skillful and productive use of computer applications’ 1987

‣ functional access to hardware and software, networks and data‣ acquired through training and practice‣ requires regular extending and updating‣ can be standardised and tested‣an entitlement: 'one size (is available to) all'



‘the practices that underpin effectivelearning and scholarship in a digital age’

2009

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

Developing digital literacies: a model

Identity developmen

tSituated practices

Skills developmen

tFunctional access

'I am...'

'I do...'

'I can...'

'I have...'

specialisedenhancement

generalentitlementBeetham and Sharpe

2010

Digital literacy: the elements

Digital literacy: the turbulence

academic and professional learning

digital know-how


•in what ways is ‘digital literacy’ a mainstream agenda for your institution?

•in what ways is it a turbulent agenda?

What has ‘digital literacy’ achieved as an agenda?

RKTSMT

marketing

staff / ed developme

nt

estates

What has ‘digital literacy’ achieved as an agenda? Ensured digital issues are on the

agendain many locations and in new

partnerships

careers

library

learning developme

nt

e-learning

accessibility

IT dept

studentunion

curriculum teams

Where is ‘digital literacy’ located in your institution?

vote1.library2.ICT/e-learning team3.distributed across several areas, well connected4.specialist digital literacy project or initiative5.nobody knows

What is your institution doing...

... to ensure digital literacy is on the agenda

in many locations?

... to develop partnerships and join up thinking?


New graduate attributes / aspirationsa digitally literate learner is flexibleand reflective, confident andcapable of selecting appropriate tools and software for effectivescholarship and research (L’pool)a confident, agile adopter of a range of technologies for personal,academic and professional use (Oxford Brookes University)

confident users of advanced technologies... exploiting the rich sources of connectivity digital working allows

(Wolverhampton University)to be effective global citizens and interact in a networked

society (Leeds Metropolitan University)

Does your university/college make any statements about how students will develop their digital capabilities, confidence, identity?

What is your institution doing?

New graduate attributes / aspirations


Focus on technologies in the hands of learners•We have shown that personal devices/services can be used

effectively for educational ends (including in FE settings)

•... but this requires infrastructure, know-how, clear policies, structured activities, model behaviours and more.

‘Bring your own device’??

•.Our evidence is there is some way to go in terms of infrastructure (e.g. device-neutral data environment, robust networks)

•And even further to go in terms of culture:

•communicating with staff/students about effective digital practice

•measures to minimise disadvantage

•curriculum change

•valuing and rewarding digital know-howin courses, departments, services

•Where is your institution up to?


Digital identity work•Outside of the curriculum: employability, digital CV/portfolio

building, use of social media, embedded into co-curricular awards

•In the curriculum: progressing towards making aspects of learning more public, exploring professional identity

•For staff: digital and open scholarship, managing scholarly reputation

•For institutions: staff/student work and course materials as branding?

•Digital identity has been the best ‘hook’ for engaging individuals!


Digital identity work

What is your institution doing..

... to recognise digital identity and reputation as key assets for students?

... to develop its own digital identity and brand (in collaboration with staff and students)?


Understanding how students develop digital know-how


•Students’ digital practices are contextualised in programmes of study: tutors and peers are important models and guidesThey are hybrid: institutional/personal, formal/informal, public/private

•Induction and structured progression for complex systems that support specialised (academic/professional) activities e.g. data analysis, reference management, institutional systems, design, GIS...

•Generic apps, services etc readily adopted but students need clear guidance on what is available, supported, recommended, allowed

•Opportunities for peer support e.g. groupwork, mentoring, student-authored resources (videos, animations, apps etc)

Understanding how students develop digital know-how


... to support the ways students develop?


Students as change agents


•From aspiration to core activity, national network

•Variety of student roles emerging: researchers, ambassadors, designers/developers, representatives and champions

•Personal development - digital, organisational, personal and entrepreneurial skillsBetter solutions to problems thanks to direct user involvementMore agile, innovative approach (‘university solutions are not cool’)

•No stake in status quo: able to ask questions and push for answersCost effective: high commitment and output

•Academic/professional expertise plus students’ digital know-how

Students as change agents


... to support students as change agents in learning/teaching?

www.hei-flyers.org/wordpress/

http://www.hei-flyers.org/wordpress/


Curriculum change?

Curriculum change: the aspiration

•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

activities and resources: bit.ly/DLstaffdev

http://t.co/4HOXDVXbGJ

Curriculum change: the reality

•Many excellent examples from programmes of study

•Staff-student partnerships often effective

•More extensive use of digital technologies leads to more critical, discriminatory approach by students and better judgement

but

•Student digital know-how seen with more concern than excitement

•Innovators may be in under-valued positions and roles

•Staff have no time to innovate / students can be conservative

•Profound changes - borderless or flipped classroom, open and public pedagogies, student as producer - are highly challenging

Digital literacy: the turbulence...

academic and professional learning

digital know-how

Time for some discussion

What can we still do with ‘digital literacy’ as an idea and as a long-term project?

•As individuals developing in an intensively digital environment?

•As individuals and groups of people working in education (committed to enabling other people to thrive)?

•As organisations in need of (radical) change?

What can we still do with ‘digital literacy’ as an idea and as a long-term project?

•Tunde Varga-Atkins, University of Liverpool

•Marianne Sheppard, JISC Infonet

•Lindsay Jordan, University of the Arts, London

•Julian Prior, Southampton Solent University

Digital Literacies at ALT-C 2013

Extending CMALT to a range of staff groups11 Sept 1.45pm Gallery 2

Clive Young and Stefanie Anyadi (UCL)The Digital Department

Engaging with new e-learning change agents

Clive Young and Stefanie Anyadi (UCL)The Digital Department

Why it's not all about the learner: a sociomaterial account of students' digital literacy practices11 Sept 11.35am Main Theatre

Lesley Gourlay and Martin Oliver (IOE)Digital Literacy as a Postgraduate Attribute

Raising the profile of technology use amongst learners: Taking control of digital literacy development 10 Sept 3.00pm CS4

Stuart Redhead (Exeter)COLLABORATE

Some resources

•ALT newsletters and webinars

•JISC webinars

•Design studio bit.ly/JISCDDL

Documents

Welcome Before the sessions starts, please go to Tools > Audio > Audio set up wizard to check your connection