A presentation on the UCISA Digital Capabilities 2017 Survey, presented at LILAC, April 12th 2017

1. Digital Capabilities Group
Where are we now?
UCISA Digital Capability
Survey 2017
A snapshot of digital literacy
across the UK HE sector

2. Digital Capabilities Group
Gareth Johns
@GarethPJohns
2
Gillian Fielding
@g_fielding

3. Digital Capabilities Group
3

4. Digital Capabilities Group
2017 Digital Capabilities Report
4

5. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Today’s questions (1/2)
• How widespread is the use of the Jisc definition of digital
capabilities (DC)?
• Are library strategies driving digital capabilities
development?
• How important are SCONUL’s 7 Pillars and the
Employability Toolkit to the sector?
5

6. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Today’s questions (2/2)
• How important is TEF as a driver for the development of
DCs?
• How are changes to the DSA impacting Libraries and
DCs?
• How will you use the findings from the DC Report?
6

7. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
How widespread is the use of the Jisc
definition of digital capabilities (DC)?
7

8. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Jisc definition of Digital Capabilities
Q1.1 To begin with, does your institution, or any parts
of it, use the Jisc definition of digital capabilities?
8
“By digital literacy we mean those
capabilities which fit an individual for living,
learning and working in a digital society.”

9. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Jisc definition of Digital Capabilities
Yes, across
whole
institution,
38%
Yes, by parts
of institution,
40%
No, 22%
9

10. Digital Capabilities Group
Discussion
10
Is it important to accept one definition of
digital capabilities?

11. Digital Capabilities Group
Digital
capabilities:
the 6 elements
11
Jisc, 2017 http://bit.ly/2ogfLXc

12. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Jisc definition - recommendations
1
2
R.1.1 “Jisc and UCISA work together to
review and update the Jisc definition of
digital capabilities”
R1.2 “updated definition be promoted…with
institutions engaged in a dialogue designed
to encourage use of a common definition”

13. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Are library strategies driving digital
capabilities development?
1
3

14. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Institutional Strategies for DCs
Q2.3 How important are these institutional strategies
(or nearest equivalent) for supporting and reinforcing
the importance of digital capabilities in your
institution?
1
4

15. Digital Capabilities Group
Poll
15
According to the survey, which are the top 5
institutional strategies driving digital
capabilities development?
tinyurl.com/DCG-P1

16. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Institutional Strategies for DCs - 2017
1
6
Institutional strategy – students Mean
Teaching, Learning, Assessment strategy 3.62
Student Experience strategy 3.47
Employability strategy 3.44
Library/Learning Resources strategy 3.39
Disability Support strategy 3.26
Very important (+4)
Fairly important (+3)
Not very important (+2)
Not at all important (+1)

17. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Institutional Strategies for DCs - 2014
1
7
Institutional strategy – students
Teaching, Learning, Assessment strategy
Library/Learning Resources strategy
ICT strategy
Technology Enhanced Learning/eLearning strategy
Student Experience strategy

18. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
How important are SCONUL’s 7 Pillars
and the Employability Toolkit to the
sector?
1
8

19. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
External reports or documents
Q2.2 How important are the following external reports
or documents in informing the development of digital
capability activities in your institution?
1
9

20. Digital Capabilities Group
20
Jisc Enhancing the Student Digital Experience (2015)
Jisc Digital Student resources (2016)
Jisc ‘Developing Digital Literacies’ online guide (2014)
Jisc NUS Benchmarking Tool (2015)
SCONUL's 7 pillars of digital literacy (2015)
Jisc Digital Capabilities Discovery Tool (2016)
veloping Successful Student Staff Partnerships (2015)
SCONUL’s Employability Toolkit (2015)
UCISA Digital Capabilities Survey (2014)
2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8
Mean score (out of 4)
External reports
or documents –
students

21. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
External reports or documents
2
1
2.2.1 Key findings
“the resources listed were all felt to be less
important as compared with the more high-
level factors ”

22. Digital Capabilities Group
Discussion
22
What is more important when developing
digital capabilities – high-level strategies or
high-quality resources?

23. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
How important is TEF as a driver for
the development of DCs?
2
4

24. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
TEF impact on DC development
Q2.4 Thinking specifically about the Teaching
Excellence Framework (TEF), has the institution taken
any actions as a result of TEF that have impacted (or
will impact) on the development of student and staff
digital capabilities?
2
5

25. Digital Capabilities Group
Discussion
26
Has TEF impacted the development of
student and staff digital capabilities at your
institution? If so, how?

26. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
27
35%
have taken
action as a
result of TEF

27. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
TEF – actions taken
2
8
“TEF is at the heart of the
University's new strategy,
particularly the Education
strategy.”
“University wide TEF Group
has been established which is
looking at Learning Analytics
and interventions.”
“metrics used to inform the TEF are being
used to guide our priorities... Developing
new analytic tools and capabilities which
will require and prompt further
development of digital capabilities
“Changes to the curriculum which include
Digital fluency as a programme attribute”

28. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
TEF – importance of driver
2
9

29. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
How are changes to the DSA
impacting Libraries and DCs?
3
0

30. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Impact of removal of DSA requirements
Q4.8 What impact, if any, has the removal of DSA
requirements for English domiciled students had at
your institution?
3
1

31. Digital Capabilities GroupDigital Capabilities Group
Impact of removal of DSA requirements
3
2
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
disability support
academic teams
IT and/or e-learning
staff developers
the library
No impact Minor Noticeable Significant

32. Digital Capabilities Group
Discussion
33
How will you use the findings from the DC
Report?