This document summarizes a presentation given by Liz Dore and Blaneth McSharry at the CONUL Teaching and Learning Annual Seminar in 2015. It discusses the National Forum project team that is developing a digital skills framework for Irish higher education. The framework is intended to be flexible and informed by existing models while addressing skills needed by students, staff, and for employment. It will be created through collaboration and input from the educational community.

2. Liz Dore, University of Limerick
Blaneth McSharry, National University of Ireland, Galway
CONUL Teaching and Learning Annual Seminar, 2015.

4. National Forum project
Team members
Iain MacLaren (NUI Galway)
Aine Galvin (UCD)
Jonathan Flynn (UCD)
Gobnait O’Riordan (University of Limerick)
Deirdre Ryan (Mary Immaculate College)
Leone Gately (UCD)
Sharon Flynn (NUI Galway)
Liz Dore (University of Limerick)
Gráinne Mc Grath (NUI Galway)
Anne O’Keeffe (Mary Immaculate College)
Aoife Geraghty (University of Limerick)
Blaneth Mc Sharry (NUI Galway)
Michelle Tooher (NUI Galway)

5. My agenda…
• A flexible open framework
• Recurring themes & topics
• Why a digital skills framework?
• Back to basics
– Review of existing frameworks
– Collaborating with the wider community
• Digital skills working definition
• Digital skills models
• Skills for students
• Skills for staff
• The framework explained

6. A Flexible open framework:
The intention is for an approach that is flexible, whilst being comprehensive and
accessible.
• Analysis & review of existing frameworks
• Relevant to particular needs
• Informed by experience, knowledge and professional networks
• Flexible for localised use
• Accessible and open to all
• Co-ownership to foster engagement
• Appealing to engage and nurture skills and confidence

7. Key recurring themes and topics emerging…
• Finding and using information and digital resources
• Using information and applying effectively
• Using tools to learn and support learning of others
• Managing online identity
• Creating materials in varied media formats
• Communicating and collaborating using a range of tools
• Higher level critique of sources and wider societal implications

8. Collaborating with the wider community for
input…
• Social media
• Project website
• Question and Answer session – conferences/workshops
• Printed postcards
• Online forms
• Communication with experts in the field

9. Why a digital skills framework?
“the most recent progress report on digital skills in the general European
population found that 47% of citizens did not have the basic skills to
function in the digital society” (European Commission 2015).
Higher education landscape is fragmented…
More than training…about moving towards ‘confidence’ and nurturing
opportunities for critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and
innovation.
“Digital already supports almost 95,000 jobs both directly and indirectly
in the Irish economy”(Doing More with Digital 2013).

10. Digital Skills
Working Definition
define digital skills, literacies or competencies as …
“the capabilities which fit someone for living, learning and working in a digital society,
with the knowledge that a digital society is ever evolving”.
An extension of the definition used by JISC in Developing Digital Literacies –
https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/developing-digital-literacies

11. Back to basics…
A review of existing frameworks for information and digital literacy:
ANCIL – A new curriculum for information literacy (University of Cambridge)
DIGICOMP – European Framework
Digitally Ready – digital literacies and work placement framework (University of
Reading)
Mozilla web literacies framework (Mozilla Web Foundation)
SCONUL 7 Pillars of information literacy
UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers

12. Digital skills a complex range of multiliteracies
• Information literacy
• ICT
• Visual literacy
• Media literacy
• Transliteracies
• Multimodal literacies

13. Models for digital skills

14. Skills for students
“a co-ordinated, multi-level approach to foster digital literacy, skills and
confidence among students at all levels of education.” (National Forum Digital
Roadmap, 2015).
‘I am’ higher order capability than…
I have, I can, I do (Beetham & Sharpe)
Need help to develop skills to know quality of resources
Engage as creators

15. Skills for employment
The employment ‘readiness’ of graduates and citizens is an identified priority at the
European level.
Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs
Higher Education Authority’s (2015) survey of employers Recommendations:
• Soft skills (verbal/written communication, teamwork, grammar) transfer to
working environment
• Technical skills (problem solving, analytical skills, data analysis)
Framework should reflect and embed into curricula and graduate outcomes.

16. Projects…showcase student engagement and
skills development:
• SADL – Student Ambassadors for Digital Learning
• Shadow modules from the Digidol project at Cardiff University
• The Deakin University Library digital literacy tutorials
• The JISC Digitally Ready project

17. Skills for staff
It is important that we address the balance between innovation and the learning
experience of students.
The focus “has shifted decisively towards questions of professional development of
academic staff in their teaching roles and to the organisational factors that must be
addressed in order to embed changes of scale and sustainability.” (Strategic and
Leadership Perspectives on Digital Capacity in Irish Higher Education 2015).

18. Project / Case study examples
• Deakin University Digital Literacy Tutorials
• In the making…caught on camera
• Knowledge Hub
• European e-competence framework
• DIGCOMP framework

20. References
Devine, J (2015) Strategic and Leadership Perspectives on Digital Capacity in Irish Higher Education, commissioned by the National Forum for the
Enhancement of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, available: http://www.teachingandlearning.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Senior-
Management-FINAL.pdf
European Commission (2015) Measuring Digital Skills Across the EU, available:
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/dae/document.cfm?doc_id=5406
Higher Education Authority (2015) National Employer Survey http://www.hea.ie/sites/default/files/employersurveymay2015final_web_0.pdf
Ireland, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (2013) Doing more with digital National Digital Strategy for Ireland, available:
http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/54AF1E6E-1A0D-413F-8CEB2442C03E09BD/0/NationalDigitalStrategyforIreland.pdf
JISC Design Studio (2013) Literacies development framework, available:
http://jiscdesignstudio.pbworks.com/w/file/40474958/Literacies%20development%20framework.doc
JISC (2014) Developing digital literacies, available: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/developing-digital-literacies
National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Irish Higher Education (2015) A Roadmap for Enhancement in a Digital World 2015-
2017, available: http://www.teachingandlearning.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Digital-Roadmap-web.pdf

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