The JISC Digital Student project aims to understand students' expectations and experiences of the digital environment in higher education through a phase 1 study that reviewed existing research and included original interviews. The findings indicate that institutions seek national guidance, face challenges in managing student expectations, and need to engage learners in meaningful dialogue about digital practices. Ongoing consultation efforts in higher education and parallel studies in further education aim to inform future actions and improve digital strategies.

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
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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…
02/04/2014 Developing digital literacies 22
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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