The document discusses research into adult learning of basic digital literacy skills. It investigates the journey toward digital competence, key influences on decisions to learn, and implications for pedagogical design. Interviews with participants in an Irish workplace digital skills course revealed three constructs that influence learning: perceptions of the digital world as intimidating; a desire for both general and specific digital competencies; and challenges to participants' learning identities from past negative school experiences. The researcher concludes educators should address learners' views of technology, focus on concrete skills goals, and help rebuild positive learning identities.

1. Learning Competence and Participation in the Digital World Leo Casey [email_address] National College of Ireland Learning Media & Technology Doctoral Conference London Knowledge Lab, 4th of July 2011

8. Interview Participants

10. The Digital World and at this moment in life everyone’s talking about e-mails, everyone’s talking about Internet and I was totally out of that, because I didn’t know how to use it properly (Mary, the 53-year-old retail worker) Just give me a shovel and I’ll dig a hole .… what do I need a computer for to dig a hole but now-a-day if you see people digging a hole they have to take measurements … it’s all back, all paperwork’s back into computers (Ben, 48 year old dockland worker)

13. Competence Desire General Competence Desire Specific Competence Desire (Jen) I want to be computer literate I want to be able to sail through any computer thing that comes up and to do everything on the computer. (Dot) My biggest joy is I love looking up all the old stars and hearing them singing and learning all about them and things that I didn’t know and I’m able to look up hotels but I can’t book a holiday yet.

14. Proximate Sites of Engagement (Marie) Just to know that you can go in … to the web like if I want to order something. If I want to get something I’d say to Caroline [daughter] will you just go in and order that for me. So she’ll order … if I wanted something … she’ll do that. (Tracy) …. also for holidays …. I go into my neighbour and she books everything for me you know flights apartments she does all that … my daughter said Mam I could do that but like I’d be afraid if it’s going on my credit card that she’d make any mistakes so it was just easier to go into Carol and let her do it

15. Learning at Proximate Sites of Engagement

16. Learning Identity (Ben) So, I sort of, like years ago me da wouldn’t be able to use ... how to change a station on the TV and it was only a remote control .... trying to show him and he say’s no I can’t use it and I says look its simple and now you have kids telling me in a sense or people around me look it’s simple so I was just thinking from there jees I used say it to me auldfella there .

18. How should we characterise learning for basic digital literacy? Pathways to Competence and Participation in the Digital World

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