liverpool digital literacies keynote
DESCRIPTION
Halloween themed guest lecture on e-learning and the 'uncanny' relationship between academic knowledge and digital expertise.TRANSCRIPT
Making sense of learning in a digital ageUniversity of Liverpool, October 31st 2012
#livdiglit
Helen Beetham @helenbeetham
digital know-how academic learning
experience the uncanny....
cc. http://www.soil-net.com
be haunted by...
the student who is more digitally capable
than you are
the colleague who believes nothing has improved on
the printing presscc. http://www.soil-net.com
and enjoy...
some good stories
reasons to be cheerfulcc. http://www.soil-net.com
A bit of history
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Compu
ters in
Teac
hing I
nitiat
ive
Teac
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Learn
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chno
logy P
rog
Network
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JISC e-
learni
ng pr
ogram
me
Bench
marking
e-Le
arning
Tech
nolog
y-Enh
ance
d Lea
rning
Develo
ping D
igital
Litera
cies
A bit of history
From computers to networks totechnology-enhanced environments
From teaching with technology to learning with technology
From discrete activitiesto digital literacies and a digital curriculum
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
‘We are not rethinking some part or aspect of learning, we are rethinking all of learning in these new digital contexts’ (2007)
Digital technology is systemic in education
Digital technology is systemic in education
Digital technology is systemic in education
Students’ first experiences of University are primarily digital
Students use their digital devices, services and networks to support their studies whether we invite them to or not
Specialised, dedicated systems attuned to academic practices
Most digital technologies and practices we take for granted originated in University (research) departments
Universities are big businesses dependent on ICT based business systems
But not everybody is happy about it
the digital university as a haunted house
cc licenced to country_boy_shane on Flickr and Fotopedia
The digital university as a haunted house...
Many students (and staff) see virtual learning as inimical to a full engagement in the university experience
The expectation that students (and staff) will be digitally literate is introducing new stresses and inequalities
Universities no longer have a monopoly on valued knowledge or even on HE-standard learning
The internet is forcing universities to become global institutions
What are you hopeful or excited about?What are you fearful or worried about?
cc. http://ninaturns40.blogs.com
#livdiglitpost-its
questioning the ghost
cc licenced to Scr47chy on Flickr and Fotopedia
The wonderful digital future
useable devicesfrictionless adoptionpersonal knowledge environmentslearning embedded into daily lifeinformation-rich objects, locationsintelligent agents...
‘If the technology is good enough we don’t need digital literacy’
The constant scholarThe work feels the same as ever; the media can feel novel, of course, but it doesn't feel to me like anything substantive has changed.Why are we using the term ‘digital’ at all? It’s just being critical and reflective about the resources we’re using.
•Isn’t all this technology just a distraction from the real business of study?
cc licenced to lisby1 via flickr and fotopediahttp://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-3956791025
Against the wonderful digital future:learners are not doing it for themselves
• Active knowledge building and sharing are minority activities to which most learners are introduced by educators (Selwyn 2009-11)
• Learners experience many difficulties transposing practices from social contexts into formal learning (Cranmer 2006)
• Learners struggle to critically evaluate online resources (BLibrary)• NetGen (<25yo) use ICT more for social/leisure but older and better
qualified people use it more for study (Ramanau et al. 2010)• Learners' engagement with digital media is complex and
differentiated (Bennet et al. 2008, Hargittai 2009)• Students are fundamentally divided on the use of digital devices
and services for study (NUS surveys 2010-12)
Digitally proficient learners need a solid grounding in academic practice to succeed
Against the constancy of scholarship:knowledge practices are changing
Transfer of attention from print to screenMultiplicity of media: hyperlinked and hybrid media
Blurred boundaries of information/communicationUbiquitous access to information and to connected others
Routine surveillance and capture of processes/eventsNetworked societies and interest groups
Massive, interlinked data sets and related toolsOffloading of cognitive tasks onto digital agents and networks
Presentation of self in digital contextsOpen data, open research, open publishing
New modes of data visualisationNew research questions and specialist areas
Disciplines and technologies are questioning each other
What are they saying?What questions is your discipline asking of digital technology?What would you like technology to do that enhances your practices and values as an academic in your subject area?
What questions is digital technology asking of/in your discipline?
How are you having to adapt your methods and practices e.g.
data capture and analysis, collaboration, research communication, writing, teaching?
#livdiglit
now you see it...
Define digital literacyin a way that makes sense for your department
‘capabilities that fit an individual for living, learning and working in a digital society’
#livdiglitpost-its
Learning literacies in a digital age 2009-2010
Digital Literacies baseline study 2011-2012
Some conclusions
the practices that underpin effective learning in a digital age
‣are meaningful in the context of academic disciplines
‣are an aspect of students’ emerging identities
‣require a confident but also a critical attitude to ICT
‣are creative/productive as well as critical/assimilative
‣are both formal and informal (and blur these boundaries)
‣emerge in meaningful activities in which technologies support the purpose authentically
But at the moment...
‣students are confused about how digital technologies can legitimately be used to support academic study
‣students’ practices may be hidden: personal study habits, outsourced curriculum, ‘grey area’ activities
‣support is fragmented, expectations are not managed
‣students require training and/or mentoring for advanced and specialised applications
‣‘bring your own skills’ is a source of potential disadvantage
Explore the interface with students
Explore the interface with students
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3WwfP34Qv0&feature=youtu.be
Develop hybrid approaches and paths of least resistanceAcademic referencing
• Zotero: fits with practices of browsing
• Mendeley and Delicious: fit with practices of social networking
• Endnote: steep learning curve, expensive, inaccessible
• Students understand the underlying values: acknowledge your sources; build explicitly on the knowledge of others
• At the start of an academic career, format matters much less than building references, mapping the territory, getting it captured
Allow a repertoire of technologies and viewpoints
•Students are often unclear about how to work with data in meaningful ways
•More and more data sets are openly available to use for learning and research
•Data visualisations are oneway students are developing a repertoire of different viewpoints and methods, anddrawing different conclusions
Use tech/no tech as tools for critical thinking
Have students participate in public debates
Open digital texts to critique
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmdlBEs1HEk&feature=youtu.be
cc licensed to Matthew Hayler, Exeter Cascade project 03.14 to 05.01
Involve students in research
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbtf-wCglX0&feature=youtu.be
cc licensed to Erin Walcon, Exeter Cascade project 04.17
Conclusions: towards a critical digital literacy• We may never ‘catch up’ with
students’ digital know-how...
• ... but academic values, practices and methods remain uniquely valuable.
• Try: co-mentoring, students as pioneers, public expression of ideas, digital story-telling...
• Students’ digital know-how can be treated as a resource.
• Encouraging a critical approach to technologies as you would to ideas.
Questions and comments #livdiglit
@helenbeetham
For our conclusions #livdiglit post-its
Hopes, fears and recommendations
JISC Developing Digital Literacies programme#jiscddl
12 institutional projects