1. Digital thinking: working with
staff to embed information and
digital literacy
Dr Alan Masson, Catherine O’Donnell and Dr Vilinda Ross,
Viewpoints Project, University of Ulster
Thursday 11th-13th April 2012, Lilac, Glasgow Caledonian University

2. Session Outline
o Introduction: supporting teachers & learners in the
digital age.
o An introduction to Viewpoints.
o Hands-on Viewpoints Information Literacy themed
workshop taster.
o Consolidation/discussion: sharing ideas for use of
these resources.
o More information and close.

3. Introduction: supporting teachers & learners
in the digital age

4. An Introduction to Viewpoints
 Viewpoints is a JISC funded curriculum
design project.
 It has a remit to create a series of
reflective tools to promote & enhance
effective curriculum design.
 The tools use a learner timeline with A short video introduction
established pedagogical principles and on YouTube:
ideas as prompts to help staff consider http://www.youtube.com/w
areas of their curriculum while atch?v=Ux0Bv7fRrQI
considering the learner perspective.

5. Viewpoints 3 Part Framework
• Inform, inspire and plan.
• There are benefits for
- Curriculum development.
- Course teams.
- Students.
• 4 themes
- Assessment and feedback,
- Information skills,
- Learner engagement and
- Creativity and innovation.
• 2 views
- Course and module.

6. In less than two hours………

7. Inform – Inspire ‐ Plan

8. Identified Learner Interactions
1. Reviewing progress and understanding (Assessment and
Feedback)
2. Discovery, consumption and creation of information
(Information Skills)
3. Who do they interact with, why and to what “benefit”
(Learner Engagement)
Are there closed lists of principles we can use to describe
these interactions?

9. Principles to describe these
interactions?
Assessment and Feedback – REAP Principles
Information - SCONUL 7 Pillars (extending to
place in a more Digital Literacy context)
Learner engagement - 8 Learning Event Model
(8LEM)

10. Information Skills Theme
SCONUL 7 Pillars (http://www.sconul.ac.uk)
1. Define the task and understand the topic.
2. Identify appropriate resources.
3. Search effectively.
4. Find and extract information.
5. Compare and analyse information.
6. Organise and share information ethically.
7. Interpret information and create new
content.
*Implementation ideas for each principle on back of cards.

11. Assessment and Feedback Theme
REAP (http://www.reap.ac.uk/)
1. Clarify good performance.
2. Encourage time and effort on task.
3. Deliver high quality feedback.
4. Provide opportunities to act on feedback.
5. Encourage interaction and dialogue.
6. Develop self-assessment and reflection.
7. Give assessment choice.
8. Encourage positive motivational beliefs.
9. Inform and shape your teaching.
*Implementation ideas for each principle on back of cards.

12. Learner Engagement Theme
The principles of learner engagement are based upon the 8 Learning
Events Model developed by LabSET, University of Liège, Belgium.
1. Receive.
2. Create.
3. Debate.
4. Explore.
5. Imitate.
6. Experiment.
7. Practice.
8. Meta-Learn.
*Implementation ideas for each principle
on back of cards.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/viewpointsproject/

13. Creativity and Innovation Theme
CHEP creativity working group
(http://www.ulster.ac.uk/centrehep/creativity_curriculum.html )
1. Collaborative learning.
2. ‘Open-box’ modules.
3. Negotiation.
4. ‘Real-life’ learning situations.
5. Novel approaches to learning.
6. Assessment that focuses on process.
7. Use of debates.
8. Beyond the discipline.
9. Enquiry-based learning.
*Implementation ideas for each principle on back of card have still to be added.

14. A Course Level
Worksheet
Example

15. A Module Level
Worksheet
Example

16. Sample finished worksheets

17. Viewpoints Information Skills Workshop
 An opportunity for you to take part in an Information Skills
themed workshop taster.

18. Task 1 (5 minutes)
o Consider your group scenario and record your objective(s).

19. Task 2 – Select principles (5 minutes)
 Choose any cards you think might help you address your
group’s objective(s).

20. Task 3 – Map principles to student
learning timeline 5 minutes)
 Place the cards on the student timeline, where your group
thinks relevant, considering the student perspective.

21. Task 4 – Select implementation ideas and
tailor a solution (15 minutes)
o Turn over the most important card(s) and select ideas.
o Add own ideas or comments in order to tailor the examples.
o Note any overall action points and reflections.

22. Task 5 - Share outputs and feedback (5
mins)
o One or two members from each group
briefly feed back your key findings /
experiences of using the assessment
and feedback theme to consider your
group objective|(s).
o Survey

23. Brief sharing of experiences and
evaluation findings from Viewpoints
Project.

24. Shared meanings and priorities

25. Interactive and engaging

26. Facilitated discussions

27. Informative and supporting

28. Helps build effective teams

29. www.wordle.net

30. www.wordle.net

31. Some Quotes
“Thought provoking.”
“Good to see the plan in front of you.”
“Short sessions exploring ideas - very useful.”
“Enjoyed it – not too time-consuming and time used very well.”
“Good material supplied to encourage wider consideration.”
"Got the team to brainstorm about the way forward in relation
to creativity.”
“Better face to face interaction with course team.”

32. Some Quotes
“Easy tool – visually descriptive, illustrative”
“…Resources excellent prompts”
“Suggestion cards act as a good prompt”
“Cards aided formulation of ideas”
“Accessible and easy to use. Comprehensive
and guiding.”
“Look at the holistic approach.”
“Group participation/engagement on ideas”
“Being given the time to reflect.”
“Useful prompts and discussion.”

33. Concluding consolidation/discussion: sharing ideas for
use of these resources in other institutions.

34. Further information
Viewpoints project blog: http://viewpoints.ulster.ac.uk
Viewpoints resources site: http://viewpoints.ulster.ac.uk/resources
Dr Alan Masson, Project Director - aj.masson@ulster.ac.uk
Catherine O’Donnell, Academic E-Learning Consultant - c.odonnell@ulster.ac.uk
Dr Vilinda Ross, Research Fellow - v.ross@ulster.ac.uk
JISC Digital Literacies http://www.jisc.ac.uk/developingdigitalliteracies
JISC Digital Literacies Workshop materials
http://jiscdesignstudio.pbworks.com/w/page/40474566/JISC-Digital-Literacy-
Workshop-materials