This document outlines 10 reasons to develop digital literacies: 1) To develop capabilities for living, learning, and working in a digital society; 2) To boost confidence in using digital media for teaching; 3) To understand how technology can support learning, teaching, and assessment; 4) To understand technological developments and their implications; 5) To ensure effective use of technology in learning rather than treating it as an end goal; 6) International institutions encourage use of technology; 7) Students have varied digital practices and unclear expectations; 8) Students expect to connect devices and have technology integrated in relevant ways; 9) To prepare students for jobs requiring digital skills to address a £63 billion skills gap; 10) To tackle digital exclusion and address

1. 1. To develop your own digital
literacies
Digital literacies can be defined as the
capabilities which make someone fit someone
for living, learning and working in a digital
society.
JISC: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/developing-students-digital-literacy

2. The staff do not need to be technology experts;
communications skills, flexibility and an
eagerness to learn and share are much more
important.
JISC: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/developing-students-digital-literacy
2. To boost your confidence in
using digital media for teaching

3. 3. To deeply understand the
nature of Technology-Enhanced
Learning
Learning technology is the broad range of
communication, information and related
technologies that can be used to support
learning, teaching, and assessment.
Association for Leaning Technology: http://www.alt.ac.uk/about-alt/what-learning-technology

4. 4. To look at the technological
developments and their
implications for teaching
The pace of technological change is accelerating
and the impact of digital technology will
continue to have a profound effect on society. It
is critical to fully understand these technological
developments and their implications for
teaching, learning and assessment.
FELTAG (2013): Paths forward to a digital future for Further Education and Skills

5. 5. To ensure the effective use of
digital technology in learning
…which does not mean digital technology in
teaching is not the end goal in itself.
FELTAG (2013): Paths forward to a digital future for Further Education and Skills

6. 6. International institutions are
encouraging educators to use
digital technologies
The European Commission initiative Opening Up
Education (September 2013) calls for member
states to support innovative teaching and
learning environments.
EC: http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/strategic-framework/education-technology.htm

7. 7. Students entering university
have a wide variety of digital
and learning practices
They have indistinct ideas about how they will
learn at university and what constitutes
legitimate learning practice – especially digital
practice – in a university context.
Beetham & White, 2013. Students’ expectations and experiences of the digital environment.
Jisc: http://repository.jisc.ac.uk/5572/1/JR0006_STUDENTS_EXPECTATIONS_EXEC_SUMMARY_v2.pdf

8. 8. The majority of students
now expect…
The capacity easily to connect their own devices
to the university network and technology
incorporated into their teaching/learning in
ways that are relevant to their academic
success.
Beetham & White, 2013. Students’ expectations and experiences of the digital environment.
Jisc: http://repository.jisc.ac.uk/5572/1/JR0006_STUDENTS_EXPECTATIONS_EXEC_SUMMARY_v2.pdf

9. 9. To prepare students for real
life
A recent report found that 90% of jobs require
digital skills to some degree and the skills gap
costs the economy around £63bn a year in lost
income
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36510266

10. 10. To tackle digital exclusion
It is thought 12.6 million adults lack basic digital
skills, while 5.8 million have never used the
internet at all. Digital exclusion and systemic
problems with education and training need to
be urgently addressed, a recent report said.
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36510266