We are very pleased to have just published the final report from the Learning Literacies for the Digital Age (LLiDA) project, which was set up to examine the kinds of skills and capabilities students need to have to get the full benefit of the technology and resources available to support their learning and the differing ways in which institutions supported the acquisition of these.
We intend to publicise this report (written by Helen Beetham, Allison Littlejohn and Lou McGill at the Caledonian Academy within Glasgow Caledonian University) in many ways over the summer, but here – for the early adopters – is the document itself.
Download executive summary and conclusions (Adobe pdf, 360kb)
Download full final report (Adobe pdf, 1MB)
The intellectual rigour of the report is obvious to even a cursory reader, what is equally striking is the timeliness of such attention to this aspect of academic life. As JISC programme managers we encounter these issues within project final reports frequently, and we are also seeing digital and learning literacies making increasing appearances in high-level strategy documents. What the LLiDA team has done is to put the debate onto a firm evidence- and research-based footing, allowing interventions by individual institutions and national bodies to provide maximum benefit to students.
The report discusses the changing paradigm of student needs and expectations, considering ways in which institutions are working or can move to address these.
|
From |
To |
|
We know, we teach you |
Learners’ digital skills being recognised, rewarded and used as a resource for the learning community |
|
Established methods, based in disciplines |
Emerging and mixed methods, interdisciplinary problem spaces |
|
Induction and one-off training model of literacy support |
Ongoing review, progression and just-in-time support |
|
Students become ‘qualified’ in specific kinds of academic knowledge practice |
Students need to strategically manage a range of knowledge practices, for different contexts |
|
Technologies are introduced according to the requirements of the curriculum |
(Yes, and) the curriculum is continually modified by the impacts of technology in the environment |
|
Disaggregated services, deployed at particular points in the learning cycle (library, ICT, study skills, careers) |
Integrated support for students’ learning development and different learning pathways |
|
Stable job market, ’employability’ has clear features, particularly in specific vocations and professions |
Unstable job market: adaptability, resilience, multi-tasking, capacity to exercise judgement and management of multiple roles to the fore |
|
Students typically on two-year (FE) or three-year (HE) programmes of study: ongoing relationship with institution |
Students engaged in multiple forms of learning, often while employed and/or attending several institutions: relationships more flexible, short-term and contractual in nature |
|
Modular assessment: focus on achievement within clearly defined curriculum goals |
Some cross-modular assessment: focus on self-efficacy and the ability to integrate skills/know-how |
Gathering, largely for the first time, evidence concerning institutional practice and policy in this area, the project team noted the following common issues with existing provision:
- institutional silos, so learners often have several places to seek help with their learning, and cultural differences can make cross-service/dept collaboration difficult
- (often) poor embedding of literacies into the curriculum, particularly at the level of feedback and assessment
- (often) poor integration of information/digital literacies with academic/learning literacies
- curriculum provision tends to be one-off and cohort-based, rather than based on an ethos of personal development: central provision is more personal and developmental but rarely reaches learners when they are actually engaged in authentic tasks
- Academic staff perceive students as being more digitally capable than is really the case
- poor self-evaluation by learners, particularly in relation to their information skills, so voluntary services are not reaching those in most need, and skills modules are not perceived as relevant or important
The team made several detailed general recommendations. Issues covered included:
- Tutors need to be proactive in helping learners to develop learning and digital literacies
- Learning and digital literacies need to be embedded into the
curriculum - Learners need to be engaged in their own development
- Academic staff need to be engaged in rethinking their own knowledge practices
- Information literacy needs to be broadened to include – or needs to be supplemented with – communication and media literacies
- Employability needs to be more carefully and critically defined
We at JISC look forward to seeing the recommendations of this project taken on by institutions and national bodies, and are very pleased to be able to share it.
