Developing Digital Literacies What digital literacy means practically to staff and students

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jiscdiglit
Developing Digital Literacies What digital
literacy means practically to staff and
studentsHelen Beetham (????) and Paul Bailey,
JISC Programme Manager
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What does the term Digital Literacy mean to
you?

• Helen this is a pre-session activity that
  Christa is asking the participants to I assume
  type into the chat box so it would be good to
  comment or follow through on what they say I
  though this from Greenwich was interesting as a
  follow-on Ill ask Mark if Ok to use...

Student
Academic Staff
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What is our definition of digital literacy?
Were working with colleges and universities to
embed core digital skills into the curriculum. By
digital literacy we mean those capabilities which
fit an individual for living, learning and
working in a digital society for example, the
skills to use digital tools to undertake academic
research, writing and critical thinking as part
of personal development planning and as a way of
showcasing achievements.
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Developing Digital Literacies Programme
A sector-wide programme promoting the development
of coherent, inclusive and holistic institutional
strategies and organisational approaches for
developing digital literacies for staff and
students in UK further and higher education.
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Areas assessed for the baseline

1. Policy and strategy
2. Infrastructure
3. Support and professional services
4. Practices in the curriculum
5. Developing capability and expertise
6. Cultures and attitudes

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Areas assessed for the baseline

• For each of these areas, think and write in the
  chat window
• How would my institution rate on these issues?
• AND/OR
• What is the most important thing my institution
  needs to do in this area?

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Policy/strategy
Multiple strategies (4-11) with a lack of clear
ownership of the digital agenda Evidence of
integration around e.g. graduate attributes, new
senior roles (CIO, Digital Development) Senior
managers may lack the vision and expertise to
bring strategic areas together More important to
have vision of what's possible at all levels, and
expertise that can be mobilised to meet rapidly
changing priorities
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Infrastructure

• Need for robust, reliable, flexible
  infrastructure e.g. networks, access/identity
  mngmt, data services
• Bring your own devices/services
• Learners are relying increasingly on the use of
  their own technology for study and for assessment
• Tutors have mixed opinions as regards using
  external social media against social media
  designed specifically for educational use (Paddle
  project, Coleg Llandrillo)
• Requires attention to the contract between
  learners/institution and addressing digital
  divide
• Requires strategy for third-party
  software/services

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Support and professional services
Digital aspects to many core services of the
university library, learning skills, access
WP, international office, RKT, HR,
careers... Professionals identify need for
development of their own digital capabilities and
confidence Should be involved in decisions about
strategy infrastructure (they see current needs
emerging issues) For some students, support
needs to be integrated and pushed (e.g. within
the curriculum, induction, personal learning
plans) not pulled
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Curriculum practices

• Focus on institutional systems especially the
  VLE which is often used just for accessing
  content
• Need for DL to be understood in subject-specific
  ways, as
• a repertoire of relevant capabilities and
  practices
• that make sense in specific situations and
  settings
• employing a variety of technologies including
  (where relevant) personal and social
• encompassing considerations of safety, value,
  purpose, ethical and legal issues
• Authentic, meaningful activities making use of
  digital technologies where appropriate

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Curriculum technologies
Not just use of subject-specific systems, but
also subject-specific use of generic technologies

• Specialised
• system/application
• based around and integrated into a complex
  practice
• e.g. VLE, SRS, CAD/CAM, SPSS, nVivo, design
  environments, Endnote...
• Non-reconfigurable, integrated
• Steep learning curve
• Professional/academic identity

• Generic
• Mobile device and apps
• Web browser and services
• Profile and preferences
• Ease of adoption/use
• Reconfigurable, modular
• Shared, open, social, public
• Personal/social identity

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Developing expertise
Most generic technology adoption is self- or
peer-supported Specialist technologies and
specialist practices with tech require more
structured support Opportunities to share
expertise are highly valued e.g. group work,
showcases/reviews, mentoring Students' expertise
needs to be treated as a resource Do not allow
(lack of) digital expertise to become another
entrenched aspect of disadvantage address
entitlement and expectation
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Culture and attitudes
Early career staff in all roles are more likely
to adopt novel technologies and make use of
personal tech in professional settings Attitudes
to tech in all roles are very various an aspect
of personal, professional and subject
identity Students worry about 'acceptable use',
distraction, time management, blurring
personal/study time Staff worry about being
'left behind', information overload, blurring
personal/professional boundaries How would you
describe attitudes to technology in your
institution? What 'digital stories' are told?
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jiscdiglit
Developing Digital Literacies Keeping Informed
Getting Involved
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Developing Digital Literacies -
http//bit.ly/ddl-prog

• JISC on Air online radio programmes
• Part 1 - Digital Literacy delivering the agenda
  within colleges and universities
• Part 2 - Developing digital literacies for
  working in a digital world
• Available from www.jisc.ac.uk/jisconair
• Developing Digital Literacies webinar Where are
  we now and what have we learnt (title TBC)
  Helen Beetham Date June/July?
• Summary of the projects baseline reports.
  Available online http//bit.ly/JiUV0m
• Summary of the professional association baseline
  reports. Available online http//bit.ly/KWFJUo
• Institutional videos from the Developing Digital
  Literacies projects visit http//bit.ly/jiscdlprog
  videos to hear about how they are implementing
  digital literacies at a strategic level

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Developing Digital Literacies briefing paper

• Developing Digital Literacies Briefing paper
  available in June 2012, from http//bit.ly/ddl-pro
  g and available to order from publications_at_jisc.ac
  .uk
• Provides a summary of the context and emerging
  outcomes of the programme together with links to
  relevant resources

Replace with image of new paper
.
Digital literacy is the intersection between
digital knowhow and academic practice. Or, if you
want to frame it differently, the ability to
learn, the ability to learn well. Helen Beetham,
Synthesis consultant
07/06/12 Slide 16
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Further information and resources

• Programme blog - http//elearningprogs.jiscinvolve
  .org
• Digital Literacies Webinars - http//bit.ly/HKbYoy
  
• Join JISC-DIGLIT-PUBLIC_at_jiscmail.ac.uk
• Follow jiscdiglit
• Come and speak to us the programme will be
  represented at the Blended Learning Conference,
  HE Academy Conference, Greenwich e-Learning
  Conference, ALT-C with proposals submitted to
  SEDA Annual conference ( to add)

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Innovating e-Learning 2012
The 7th JISC international online conference
takes place on 13th 23rd November
2012 Registration details announced
shortly! jiscel12 www.jisc.ac.uk/elpconference12
Digital literacies will be a key theme of the
conference and opportunities to share your work
in the conference activity week 'I just want to
say jiscel11 was awesome...'