Presentation from the JISC Digital Student project team: Helen Beetham, Dave White, Sarah Knight and Paul Bailey. At ELESIG/JISC Digital Student Symposium, 26 March 2014

1. http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org
Digital Student - Understanding students' expectations
and experiences of the digital environment
26/03/2014
#digitalstudent

2. Welcome and introductions
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Dave White, Co-
manager ofTALL,
University of
Oxford
@daveowhite
Helen Beetham,
Consultant in
Higher Education
@helenbeetham
Paul Bailey,
Senior Co-
Design
Manager, Jisc
Sarah Knight,
Senior Co-
Design
Manager, Jisc
@sarahknight

3. Digital Student Project
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» Digital Student phase 1 study conducted a review into students’
expectations and experiences of the digital environment at university
» The study reviewed existing research and survey evidence from
institutions, as well as conducting original interviews and focus groups
» Jisc and its co-design partners (UCISA, SCONUL, RLUK and RUGIT) are
now supporting a consultation phase across the higher education sector
which will inform the final guidance to institutions and further actions by
Jisc and its partners
» A parallel study in FE and Skills with similar consultation events will
shortly get underway
» Review of current practice in secondary schools is also underway
» Find out more at http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org #digitalstudent

4. Digital Student - Phase 1
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» An initial study reviewed existing evidence about students'
expectations and experiences of study in a digital environment.
This includes both:
› digital environment generally e.g. wifi, IT support, access to
devices and printers
› the study environment in its digital aspects e.g. how digital
resources and media are used; what software students access,
how they use their own devices and services to support learning
› The study also looked at how universities collect, manage and
analyse such information locally, and how they engage students
in a productive dialogue about their digital experience.

5. Phase 1 - Literature review
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http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org
› Access
› BYOD
› VLE
› Computers – space
› Support
› Practice

6. Phase 2 - Schools
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http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org
»Didactic not independent
› Nat curriculum ? Digital Literacy
› VLE (wide variation) – information
› Grassroots practice from staff
› Practice varies

7. School formed expectations
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http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org
› Access to information = Quality
› Exposure to digital tech = Competence
› VLE – information
› Discourse – not in tech in formal context
› Formal competence = MS Office
› Info/digi-lit?

8. Findings: institutional interviews
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9. Institutions are...
» Looking for national guidance/data on student expectations
and experiences
» Horizon scanning – often expensively!
» Finding (some) creative ways of engaging students
» Working in partnership with students in a variety of ways
» Struggling to manage student expectations
» Unclear how to prepare students to study digitally
» Unsure how to use data analytics, qualitative methods
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10. Findings: consultation process
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11. Ideas about HE2020
» Ubiquitous connectivity and data exchange
» Blend of institutional/personal devices, services, licenses,
networks (PLE)
» All potentially useful content ‘a blink away’
» Continuous digital recording of experience
» Blend of formal (closed) and informal (open) learning
» Use of personal learning data e.g. to provide faster, more
personalised/adaptive feedback
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12. Challenges for institutions
» Integrating digital strategy and support
» Bring your own device – risks, costs, opportunities
» Preparing learners for digital practices
» Responding to external challenges e.g. open data/
knowledge, globalisation, new markets, 'value of brand'
» Engaging learners in meaningful dialogue / collaboration
» Robustness of infrastructure, parity across sites
» New pedagogic practices, staff confidence
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13. More about our findings
http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org
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14. Discuss and then share:
What do we still need to find out about students'
experiences and expectations...
(a) nationally/collectively?
(b) locally in our institutions?
http://bit.ly/digistudentquestions
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15. Discuss and then share:
• Disciplinary differences in terms of digital literacy and how digital
tech supports/inhibits creativity
• How do staff and students make judgements about quality of
provision – course and environment?
• How does transformational learning happen?
• How do institutions communicate their vision and aspirations for
students?
• How do we support students to be more purposeful and aware digital
practitioners? How do we frame our own digital purposes?
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16. Discuss and then share:
What are good methods for answering these
questions?
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http://bit.ly/digistudentmethods

17. Discuss and then share:
What should institutions be doing as a priority to
respond to students' changing expectations and needs?
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https://padlet.com/wall/digistudent

18. Resources for your use…
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http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org
26/03/2014 Jisc Digital Student http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org.uk

19. Top tips cards
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20. What is next - join the conversation
» 26th March – UCISA Conference, Brighton
» 1st April – ALTWebinar
» 2nd April – HEAWales Conference
» 6th May –SCHOMS/AUDE/UCISA event, Bhm
» w/c 19th May – HELF event, details to follow
» 21st May – Final event, London
» Consultation event in Scotland (tbc)
» Consultation event with SCONUL (tbc)
» Consultation events with senior managers
involved in Changing the Learning Landscape Programme
» 3rd July – HEA Annual Conference
20
CCphilcampbellonFlickr
26/03/2014 Jisc Digital Student http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org.uk

21. Developing digital literacies infokit
» Practical guidance, tools and approaches from the Jisc Developing digital
literacies programme and beyond
» ‘Top-down’ strategic considerations involved in developing digital literacies
across an institution
» ‘on the ground’ view of what this means in practice for many different role
groups
» Available from www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/digital-literacies
» Give us feedback at
www.surveymonkey.com/s/digital-literacies
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22. Find out more…
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Digital Student #digitalstudent
Sarah Knight
s.knight@jisc.ac.uk
Paul Bailey
p.bailey@jisc.ac.uk
Helen Beetham
Helen.Beetham@gmail.com
DaveWhite
david.white@conted.ox.ac.uk
http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org
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