Experts meeting july 2012

Developing Digital Literacies programmewhat have we done and what have we learned ?Helen BeethamProgramme synthesis consultant

Developing Digital Literacies #jiscdiglitA two-year programme promoting the development of coherent,inclusive and holistic institutional strategies and approaches fordeveloping 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 EducationPlus ten sector bodies: ALDinHE, ALT, AUA, HEDG, ODHE, SCAP,SCONUL, SDF, SEDA, Vitae www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/elearning/ developingdigitalliteracies/

Defining digital literacies... What capabilities, aptitudes and attitudes do learners need to thrive in a digital economy and society? What kind of experiences do learners need in formal education to develop these? What does a digital literacies agenda look like at the level of the curriculum, institutional infrastructure, policies, academic cultures, professional services? 33

What kind of capabilities?academic and information socio- learning and media technical practices practices practicesslower changing rapidly changingcultural and institutional inertia commercial and social driversformal learning informal learninglifelong development rapid obsolescence 44

What kind of capabilities (SCONUL)? 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 Digital scholarship: the ability to participate in emerging academic, professional and research practices that depend on digital systems Learning Skills: the ability to study and learn effectively in technology- rich environments, formal and informal 55

What kind of experiences?extensive, complex, ill-defined attributes practices skills accessintensive, simplified, well-defined 66

What kind of experiences?Exeter Cascade leadershipNew dimensions to themodel attributesCardiff DigidolUsing the model tosurvey students and practicesstaff across rolesInst of Education skillsUsing the model tocode student interviews access awareness 77

Emerging themesDigital 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 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, but likely to require formal support if specialised

Motives for engaging in the DL agendaEmployability New social practicesGraduate attributes Digital mediaDigital reputation Ubiquitous ICTDigital capital/digital divide Student expectationsIndividual aspirations Personal digital practicesOrganisational priorities Educational digital practicesEfficiency in core processesCapacity buildingGlobal markets Digital scholarshipBorderless institutions Open publishing/open dataNew modes of participation Digital academic mediaPerceived vfm Ubiquitous knowledge/data

Baselining digital literacies1. 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)

Baselining digital literacies

Baselining digital literaciesLook at the forward thinking Universities posterson your table1.Choose one category2.Consider: How many of these things is myinstitution doing (a) with full commitment (b)somewhat/in places (c) not at all?3.Discuss: Are these useful indicators? Howwould I know that the digital literacy agenda wasbeing taken forward at my institution (alternativeindicators)?

StrategiesAverage = 6-10 strategiesThe diversity of documents covering... digital matters for staff and students means there are few members of the University aware of it all – and policies may be devised and revised without much engagement across departments...With regard to the rapidly changing world of information technology, it may be argued that the traditional mechanisms for developing and agreeing strategies lack sufficient agility.Neither the programme specification, guidance notes or checklist mention or give examples of digital literacies; the same applies to the definitive documentation for 2010-2011

Strategies Fragmentation or diverse manifestations of a digital agenda? As well as internal strategies, need to assess the public mission/offer, especially to prospective students Need for digitally literate senior managers... … but also people with vision at all levels Corporate Plan Learning and Teaching | e-learning | IS/ICT Library and Information Management Research and Knowledge Transfer | Estates Student Experience | Student Charter | HR

Infrastructure issues BYODevice/BYOService/BYOSkills – what are the assumptions? Who is at a digital disadvantage? Data/information environment that is platform, device, and application agnostic Providing an equivalent infrastructure across distributed sites of learning – even in workplaces/other countries?? Breaking down boundaries within institutions e.g. library/study/social spaces Borderless institutions - what are the infrastructure issues?

Professional services in support of DDL Enhancing digital capability of professional staff Building links across professional and support services Involving students as change agents, in supporting other students and reverse-mentoring staff Providing students with clear signposts to existing support and guidance Educational development/enhancement Careers/employability | e-learning | IT support Learner Development | Researcher Development Library | Student Union

Support for DDL in FE Support more focused on the individual learner Personal tutors, subject-related study areas integrate provision More likely to explicitly assess and progress digital capabilities Teaching staff undertake ILT training Much greater focus on e-safety Lower level of personal device use in collegeWhat can HE learn from FE and vice versa?

Emerging practices Hybrid practices: informal/formal contexts, institutional/personal/public technologies, academic/digital know-how work/home life Hidden practices: personal study habits, outsourced curriculum, third party software/services, workarounds Practice innovators may be ignored/undervalued e.g. teaching administrators, PGRs

Developing expertise Self-reliance for adoption and basic use Structured development for complex systems that support complex practices – e.g. data analysis, reference management, business systems, editing software, design systems Local peer or mentor support for advanced and contextualised use students’ digital literacy practices are predominantly contextualised within their programmes of study Perceived lack of relevant, timely, local training/support Academic generation gap makes reverse mentoring attractive

Attitudes and cultures Students digital capability still regarded with more fear than excitement by many staff Culture clash seems more evident at traditional universities and where the academic generation gap is widest Experience with technology leads to a more critical and discriminating attitude We need a shift of focus from teaching staff using technologies to use by students: feel the fear

FeedforwardWhat kind of outcomes/resources would you findmost helpful from the programme?- resources for direct access by students- resources to repurpose/embed into thecurriculum- guidance for curriculum teams- guidance for professional services- guidance for strategic managers- otherThere are some examples coming up!

Further information on baselining Summary of the project baseline reports: http://bit.ly/JiUV0m Summary of the professional association baseline reports: http://bit.ly/KWFJUo Institutional videos from the Developing Digital Literacies projects visit http://bit.ly/jiscdlprogvideos to hear about how they are implementing digital literacies at a strategic level Baselining resources from the JISC Design Studio including institutional audit tools: http://bit.ly/Nz1g8t

Discussion timeWhat are the key messages for your institution?

Digital capability is... The claims of top departments to be pushing the boundaries of research require a sustainedengagement with digital scholarship. The claims of top teaching universities to offer a personal, relevant and engaging learning experiencedemand 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 resourcesJISC Developing Digital Literacies programme:Developing Digital Literacies on the Design StudioSEDA page on the Design StudioBaselining Digital Literacies pageLearning Literacies in a Digital Age (original auditstudy)

Beyond SLIDA?

Experts meeting july 2012

by Helen Beetham on Jul 11, 2012

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