What Skills learners say_GP_v4_Leicester
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The document summarizes findings from 12 focus groups with 123 learners across various locations and providers in the UK. The focus groups aimed to understand what digital skills learners say are important. Key findings included: - Learners said basic ICT skills like using search engines, email and office software were most important. - Access to fast WiFi and personal devices were also highly valued. - Learners wanted experience with workplace technologies to feel confident in future jobs. - Safety and ethical use of the internet received mixed opinions on importance. - Learners responded positively to having input into digital technology use in their education.
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- 1. What Skills learners say Leicester 14/04/16 #digitalstudent http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org
- 2. 12 focus groups 14/04/2016 Location Provider Type of provider Learners’ courses No. Sheffield InTouchCare Private training organisation Social care/ childcare, level 2 7 Stoke-on-trent Stoke ACL ACL Functional Maths, level 2 4 London LESOCO FE college Business management , levels two and three 13 Bristol Lifetime Training Private training organisation Hospitality , levels two and three 10 Lowestoft Realise Futures Private trainer (social enterprise) Land based, levels E and E1 3 Leicester Leicester ACL ACL IT/ basic skills, levels E, one and two 7 Derby Derby ACL ACL Languages, levels E, one and three 6 Carmarthen Carmarthenshire ACL ACL IT/ art/ functional English and Maths , levels E to three 20 Taunton Somerset College FE Childcare; Motor Vehicle; Hairdressing – Level 2 33 Scotland HMP Shotts (New College, Lanarkshire) Offenders Numeracy, Literacy, IT 8 Devon HMP Channings Wood (Weston College) Offenders Various from Levels 1 - 3, plus one English Literature degree student 8 Rotherham WEA ACL Various – all Level 2 4 Totals ACL 5; private trainers 3; FE colleges 2; Prisons 2 123
- 3. Learners’ levels of study 14/04/2016 Entry Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Degree
- 4. What learners use their devices for in their personal and social lives 14/04/2016 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Online gaming Use wikis/blogs/online networks Upload photos Use advanced phone functions Use messaging apps Use social networkng sites % of learners Over 40 Under 20
- 5. How learners use their devices in their studies 14/04/2016 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Use an electronic library Use online learning materials they find themselves Use a search engine % of learners Over 40 Under 20
- 6. Focus groups – the most important items 14/04/2016 Group Item % of lists Skills Basic ICT skills e.g. use of internet search, email, word processing, spreadsheets, etc 92 Access Fast wifi that is easy to connect to 84 Access A device like a laptop, tablet or fixed computer to use on your own when needed 80 Experiences Experience with technologies used in the workplace 79 Making good choices Ability to enter a workplace and feel confident with the technology used there 76
- 7. Focus groups • “In 5 years’ time, basic IT skills will have changed, so you have to keep learning it. I can learn a lot on my own, but you need to be taught spreadsheets” • “If the wifi signal is bad, it can disrupt the lesson and mess up your learning” • “It’s not always easy to bring your own laptop to the classroom – and mobile phones aren’t allowed” • “I’m looking for a job and I’m worried I won’t be able to understand the software they use at work” 14/04/2016
- 8. Focus groups – an unimportant item: Access to digital storage like Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive 14/04/2016 Important Fairly important Somewhat important Not important
- 9. Focus groups – an apprentice’s view “It would be good if we had a private Facebook page where you put all the class notes, so we could access them when we’re at work.” 17/02/2016
- 10. Focus groups – fairly evenly valued: Experience with presentation software like PowerPoint, Prezi, SlideShare, etc 14/04/2016 Important Fairly important Somewhat important Not important
- 11. Focus groups – divided opinion: Understanding how to use the internet safely and ethically, including cyber-bullying, cheating, e-safety, protecting private information, sticking to a clear moral code, etc 14/04/2016 Important Fairly important Somewhat important Not important
- 12. Focus groups • “It’s easy to come across like you’re being really abrupt (online) and you don’t mean to, so you’ve got to be really careful… and I think people really have to learn that.” • “They did internet safety at school, but it wasn’t done well” 14/04/2016
- 13. Emerging conclusions (1) • Learners’ technology skills and use of technology are far from homogeneous – even amongst the same age groups. • Learners want access to a device they can use, preferably through an open ‘bring your own’ (BYO) device policy • Learners are highly responsive to being asked how they would like to use digital technology. • Learners are more concerned with good access and relevant experiences rather than the latest gadgets. 14/04/2016
- 14. Emerging conclusions (2) • The process gave providers a concrete model for eliciting learners’ views of their provision. • The process of engaging learners in discussions around technology can prompt positive changes in existing classroom practice. • The cards are an effective way to raise awareness of wider opportunities to use digital technology among both learners and providers. • Managers can use learner quotes from these discussions as powerful ammunition to persuade their superiors to improve or extend digital provision. 14/04/2016
Editor's Notes
- The largest numbers in IT and digital literacy, Business Administration and English and Maths (including functional skills). Courses grouped under ‘Other’ include Construction, Hospitality, Retail and Sales, Art and Pottery.
- Just under three quarters of the sample claim to use their PC or laptop every day, with females slightly more likely to do so and more likely to customise tool bars and colour schemes. They are also more likely to use social media and messaging (though not directly for learning) and to upload photos to a device. Over 80% of both sexes use Google.
- The card sort results for each table in the focus groups were scored from 5 (most important) to 1 (least important), with items not ranked in the prioritising exercise scored as 0. Where fewer than 5 items were prioritised, all those not included were scored as 0. Patterns are starting to emerge, with fast wifi with good connectivity and the availability of a PC, laptop or tablet at the course centre identified as the most important aspects of access to technology. “At my work there’s 2 buildings with wifi but I’m in a building that doesn’t have it, so whenever my trainer comes in or I’m trying to do an exam, it’s just a nightmare.” A multi-functional VLE also considered important by some groups, more so than simply access to digital storage. However learners were often not aware of the potential of online storage. While discussing Dropbox, Learner A commented: “I can’t see the point of that.” Learner B responded: “Say you’re at work, you have a file, you put it in Dropbox, you can open it at home.” Learner A: “Oh, wow, cool!” Learner C: “It’s very handy for sharing videos. So if I wanted to send a video to you, they’re usually too big to send as an email attachment, so I stick it in Dropbox and send you the link.” Learner A: “Oh wow, that’s useful then. I’ll get it!” At the other end of the scale, access to social media has attracted little interest, reflecting the perceived lack of connection between social media and learning and access to a digital camera was not seen as relevant to the majority of courses. This is not to say that learners were not using social media – far from it. However they were not conscious of using it to support their learning and, as with online storage, the focus group process may have raised awareness of its potential benefits.
- Experience with technologies used in the workplace was considered extremely important, both by those learners with employed status and those who were unemployed and using their learning programme as a springboard to potential employment. Learner conversations during the group sessions suggested that the use of presentation software was both useful on their course and in presenting a positive online identity – see Making Good Choices below. On working with others online, one learner commented: “It’s easy to come across like you’re being really abrupt and you don’t mean to, so you’ve got to be really careful.” Another learner added: “And I think people really have to learn that.”
- In spite of slight confusion surrounding the phrase ‘basic ICT skills’, confidence in using technology scored most highly in the useful skills category. “In 5 years’ time, basic IT skills will have changed, so you have to keep learning it. I can learn a lot on my own, but you need to be taught spreadsheets.” Using technology to cope with learning difficulties or disabilities was seen as important both by those who identified themselves as having specific needs and by their peers. This highlighted an ambiguity in the card sort process: whether you’re supposed to be selfish with the cards, only prioritising the things that matter to you. But learners recognised that technology to cope with learning difficulties was extremely important for students who need it. Since none of the sample was taking a programming course (the IT courses were all connected with basic ICT skills or digital literacy), it is unsurprising that there was little interest in writing computer code. Again, however, the card raised learners’ awareness of wider opportunities. On computer coding one learner said: “I don’t understand any of that, I’m not interested. But, if somebody had introduced me to it, it might have been an opportunity.”
- The largest numbers in IT and digital literacy, Business Administration and English and Maths (including functional skills). Courses grouped under ‘Other’ include Construction, Hospitality, Retail and Sales, Art and Pottery.
- The card sort results for each table in the focus groups were scored from 5 (most important) to 1 (least important), with items not ranked in the prioritising exercise scored as 0. Where fewer than 5 items were prioritised, all those not included were scored as 0. Patterns are starting to emerge, with fast wifi with good connectivity and the availability of a PC, laptop or tablet at the course centre identified as the most important aspects of access to technology. “At my work there’s 2 buildings with wifi but I’m in a building that doesn’t have it, so whenever my trainer comes in or I’m trying to do an exam, it’s just a nightmare.” A multi-functional VLE also considered important by some groups, more so than simply access to digital storage. However learners were often not aware of the potential of online storage. While discussing Dropbox, Learner A commented: “I can’t see the point of that.” Learner B responded: “Say you’re at work, you have a file, you put it in Dropbox, you can open it at home.” Learner A: “Oh, wow, cool!” Learner C: “It’s very handy for sharing videos. So if I wanted to send a video to you, they’re usually too big to send as an email attachment, so I stick it in Dropbox and send you the link.” Learner A: “Oh wow, that’s useful then. I’ll get it!” At the other end of the scale, access to social media has attracted little interest, reflecting the perceived lack of connection between social media and learning and access to a digital camera was not seen as relevant to the majority of courses. This is not to say that learners were not using social media – far from it. However they were not conscious of using it to support their learning and, as with online storage, the focus group process may have raised awareness of its potential benefits.
- The largest numbers in IT and digital literacy, Business Administration and English and Maths (including functional skills). Courses grouped under ‘Other’ include Construction, Hospitality, Retail and Sales, Art and Pottery.
- The largest numbers in IT and digital literacy, Business Administration and English and Maths (including functional skills). Courses grouped under ‘Other’ include Construction, Hospitality, Retail and Sales, Art and Pottery.
- Experience with technologies used in the workplace was considered extremely important, both by those learners with employed status and those who were unemployed and using their learning programme as a springboard to potential employment. Learner conversations during the group sessions suggested that the use of presentation software was both useful on their course and in presenting a positive online identity – see Making Good Choices below. On working with others online, one learner commented: “It’s easy to come across like you’re being really abrupt and you don’t mean to, so you’ve got to be really careful.” Another learner added: “And I think people really have to learn that.”