Digidol Project: Developing Digital Literacy
Executive Summary Baseline 1
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Digital Literacy
Digital literacy is defined as “those capabilities which fit an individual for living, learning and working in a digital
society: for example, the skills to use digital tools to undertake academic research, writing and critical thinking;
as part of personal development planning; and as a way of showcasing achievements” (JISC, 2011).
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Digidol Project
Cardiff University has made a commitment in the education strategy document to develop learning literacies,
specifically professional, information and digital literacy. INSRV has submitted a bid for funding for the Digidol
Project from the JISC Developing Digital Literacies Programme in order to support this vision. The bid was
successful and has been awarded £100,000 for a two year project ending in July 2013.
Project blog: http://digidol.cardiff.ac.uk/
JISC programme website: www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/elearning/developingdigitalliteracies.aspx
2.1
Project Aims and Objectives
The Digidol project aims to promote and develop digital literacy across Cardiff University in a sustainable
manner by enhancing, developing and aligning existing educational processes. It will build on the successful
work already achieved through INSRV’s information literacy programme, and will work with staff across the
university to foster reflective, technology-enhanced working practices which will create a lasting capability that
can be cascaded through to the student experience.
Project Objectives include the following:
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Baseline 1: Identify Digital Literacy behaviours, attitudes and provision for: academic staff and taught
students. (31/01/12)
Baseline 2: Identify Digital Literacy behaviours, attitudes and provision for: researchers, admin and
support staff. (31/03/12)
Strategic Alignment: To analyse and review the University’s new strategies in order to identify key
areas of value which Digidol can support. To work with Schools and Directorates in order to feed into
action plans addressing strategic change. (31/05/12)
Organisational model: To establish ‘As Is’ (current) and ‘To Be’ (exemplar) end to end organisational
models for digital literacy provision. (31/07/12)
Facilitating Change: Conduct a gap analysis and change management approach for embedding
Digital Literacy into all staff development courses and academic programmes of study for staff and
students. Plan the transfer of the organisational model to the strategic areas of Research and
Innovation & Engagement. (31/09/12)
Resource Bank: To collate / develop an open resource bank of learning activities that addresses the
full spectrum of learning literacies, including Digital Literacies. Establish a methodology and curriculum
for digital literacy provision. (31/01/13)
Workshops: To provide workshops for staff in order to raise awareness and confidence in the use of
digital technology in academic and service provision. Directly enabling digital literacy development for
staff who will in turn cascade to students. (31/04/13)
Dissemination and Engagement: To engage the community in the developing project and to
disseminate the project outputs and outcomes widely (31/07/13)
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Baseline 1
The first objective for the Digidol project is to produce a baseline of digital literacy in learning and teaching
across the university. This is also a requirement of the JISC funding and is required by JISC on the 31 st January
2012. This document provides an executive summary of this baseline report.
The baseline report will be used as an evaluation tool both at project and programme level. At a project level it
will identify areas where the most value can be added and areas where alignment and development are
required. In the post project review this will be used to measure progress. The document will also to contribute
to JISC’s synthesis report defining the 'starting point' for the sector as a whole, against which the programme
can be evaluated and which can also inform planning at programme and funder/policy level.
The content of the document is structured according to JISC’s proposed model, Helen Beethams’s Digital
Literacy Baseline Framework for Projects1 (JISC, 2011). The report is therefore structured into the following
categories in accordance with this model:
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3.1
Policy and strategy,
Infrastructure,
Support,
Practices,
Expertise & Attitudes.
Methods
This section describes the method of data collection for the baseline. The Digidol project has conducted semistructured interviews with teaching staff and a number of students from Cardiff University’s 27 schools. At least
one member of staff from each school was interviewed for between 1 and 2 hours. Sessions were recorded and
subsequently reviewed and selectively (due to time constraints) transcribed to identify comments illustrative of
current thinking and practice within the school.
The format of the semi-structured interviews was guided by
Beetham and Sharpe’s Digital Literacy Framework (Beetham
and Sharpe, 2009). Interview data was organised according
to the four perspectives identified in the Beetham and Sharpe
framework: Access, Practices, Skills and Attributes.
Lecturers were asked to describe current learning and teaching processes and mechanisms within their school.
They were also asked to expand on any positive or negative factors ( enablers or constrains), that effect the
following:
 access to technology;
 development of technology related skills;
 learning and teaching practices involving the use of technology;
 and perceptions of prevailing attitudes to technology for learning and teaching within the school.
This information will be used to establish whether and how these factors impact on the effectiveness of school
based learning and teaching processes as a means for promoting and engaging with Digital Literacy related
initiatives.
1
http://jiscdesignstudio.pbworks.com/w/page/47831216/DL%20baseline%20framework%20for%20projects
The wider organisational level is explored through the analysis of strategic documentation. We will also look at
broad quantitative data gathered from the NUSS survey and from existing data provided by the Learning and
Teaching Support Unit within Registry. In addition, key learning and teaching related processes within schools
were identified and described. Their potential value as a means for continuing to raise awareness and embed
digital literacy within schools is explored.
This approach gives us an organisation wide view of the role of digital literacy in teaching provision. It will also
be supported by the rich qualitative data gathered through in depth discussion with individuals. Interviewees will
form an ongoing focus group (the Digital Literacy Champion’s Network), providing regular feedback to inform
and validate the development of Digidol’s objectives and deliverables.
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Strategy and Policy
This section of the baseline report highlights institutional policies and strategic vision statements that have a
bearing on Digital Literacy. This section provides the broadest contextual element of the baseline.
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Welsh Landscape: Drivers at a national level are explored including the Digital Wales Framework
(Welsh Government, 2011).
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Cardiff University Strategy: Digital Literacy doesn’t appear in the Cardiff University Strategy
2009/2010 – 2013/2014(Cardiff University, 2009a) 2 . However, the strategy is supported by four
enabling strategy documents; The Education Strategy, The Innovation and Engagement Strategy, The
Widening Access and Retention Strategy and the Research Strategy) and The Research Strategy.
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The Education Strategy: This document identifies Digital Literacy as being a core element of skills
development and it is seen in the context of related learning literacies which are essential preparation
for effective engagement in the modern world. The three learning literacies cited are Academic and
Professional Literacies, Digital Literacies and Information Literacies.
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The Digital and Social Media Strategy: The Communications Division is in the process of developing
a Digital and Social Media Strategy which encourages consistency across the following areas: Web,
Social Media, Audio & Video, Physical-to-Digital, Data & Feeds, Mobile, Digital-Centricity, Emerging,
User Experience and Global.
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INSRV Information Literacy Strategy: The close relationship between information literacy and digital
literacy are underlined and it is mentioned that the Digidol project is working with the Information
Literacy group to develop a combined Digital and Information Literacy strategy.
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Student Charter: As part of the student voice work it was identified that “teaching and curriculum
should, where possible, incorporate new and varied technologies” (Cardiff University & Student Union
2011)”.
Infrastructure
This section explores the constraints and enablers effecting physical access to Cardiff University hardware and
software. This includes:
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Physical infrastructure: Is there sufficient access to PC’s, social working spaces and equipment in
lecture theatres etc..?
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Mobile infrastructure: How is Cardiff University infrastructure set up to enable mobile access?
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/plann/strategicplan/index.html
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Mobile access: How many students are using their own laptops, smart phones etc.. to access
services?
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Cardiff Portal: What services can be accessed remotely through the portal?
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Learning Central: What functionality is available via the institutional VLE?
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Supported Software: What other supported software is available?
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Social Media and External Technologies: What is the institutional approach to the use of Social
Media etc.
Support
This section of the document establishes where support is currently available to teaching staff and students in
digital and related literacies. Exploration of support services in the following areas:
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IT User Support
Information Literacy
Learning and Teaching
Technology Enhanced Learning
The learning literacies are currently being approached from a number of different angles and it is clear that
consistency for digital literacy is required.
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Processes
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Staff Development Processes including the university Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching
and Learning (PCUTL) and mechanisms for Sharing Good Practice across and within schools.
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Student Development Processes including the schools approach to study skills, Student CPD, PDP and
Employability related initiatives and Student focused seminars, workshops and clubs
This section looked at how digital literacy is currently developed within schools and found that it is not generally
acknowledged in school processes although pedagogic practice is and digital literacy can be seen as an
element of this. PCUTL helps to share good practice across schools. Often PCUTL graduates are looked to as
champions of good practice within a particular school. There were examples of good practice in sharing
teaching practice ideas within schools although clear evidence that this could be developed further. We
conclude that the project should work with PCUTL to develop digital literacy and should develop a network of
digital champions to facilitate sharing good practice across schools. Champions should be encouraged to
establish good practice forums within their own schools.
There are a number of student lead initiatives which have had considerable success across the university and
there could be more alignment between these and the schools. Student initiatives are particularly good at peer
to peer learning which is a model that could be employed for staff.
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Practices
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Course Management , for example where digital literacy is build into curriculum
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Teaching, for example where digital literacy is used in pedagogy, electronic submissions & marking
and digital course evaluations.
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Technology and Tasks. This section of the document contains the interview responses related to how
technology is being used for particular tasks such as Presenting, Communicating, Disseminating and
Creating Multimedia.
The section on practices concludes that practice is fragmented across cohorts, within schools and most of all
between schools. Respondents felt that more guidance was needed on how technology could be used and
particularly wanted guidelines on the use of social media. Most respondents felt that time and skills were the
main constraints on developing practice.
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Skills and Attitudes
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Skills: it was recognised by the vast majority respondents that digital literacy skills were essential for
employability. It is difficult to identify a minimum standard for IT skills but students and staff generally
have good skills of standard software (eg MS Office) although there is generally no support for those
who do not. Basic digital literacy skills also vary from subject to subject ( for example digital image
processing, computer aided drafting, illustration software, desktop publishing etc… in architecture.
Across all schools it was reported that the vast majority of academic staff discover technologies on their
own, for example, Blogs, Twitter, Prezi, and Issue.com.
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Culture: Certain schools were giving careful consideration to the strategic significance of digital
technologies by creating ‘threads’ for aspects of undergraduate education, whilst also working to ensure
that traditional forms of literacy were being appropriately addressed. Frustration experienced by some
teachers when faced with entrenched forms of practice. The issue of research being a higher priority
than teaching. However, in some schools members of senior staff were identified as being the main
instigators of technology related innovation in teaching. It’s likely that the more significant factor is the
greater emphasis being placed on research by senior staff. There is more ‘down time’ in the summer
months, when lecturers stop their teaching and are available to dedicate time to explore pedagogy.
However, the rest of the university is not geared up for supporting teachers at this time of year. Several
interviewees referred to the importance of the professional body’s influence regarding the use of
technology in their subject. This viewpoint is (naturally) most prevalent amongst vocational subjects.
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Attitude: It was noticed that students were key players in determining whether or not departments
initiated any developments. Many students don’t know what learning literacies are or see them as
extras outside their subject. Students tend to realise theie importance once they have graduated and
are thinking about employment. At this point it is important to be able to signpost skills learnt. Staff felt
that a lack of specialist and technical support was a constraint in using technology in learning and
teaching. Staff acknowledged that they wouldn’t be able to use technology in an innovative way without
the help of technitians. In the NUSS survey many students mentioned the inconsistent use of learning
central as a negative. Some students also commented on its usefulness as a repository when used ( in
their view) effectively. No comments were made on wider functionality such as the use of forums in the
VLE. There were no comments on the use of social media although it was identified through interviews
that this is widely used by students as a learning environment.
10 Conclusions
Conclusions below are divided into sections based on the JISC model.
Strategy and Policy
 Clear guidance has been given across the university that Digital Literacy should be developed in
learning and teaching.
 The employability agenda is identified as a key driver for promoting greater awareness and engagement
with Digital Literacy.
Infrastructure
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Cardiff University has a wide variety of networked applications which are accessible on and off campus
and via mobile devices (which are becoming increasingly prevalent across the student body).
Support
 Teaching staff have clearly identified a need for digital literacy support.
 There is a need for clear information and support to enable teachers and students to make better use of
Learning Central.
Practices
 Access to digital literacy provision is varied across schools, within schools and between staff and
student stakeholder groups.
 There is value in enabling better idea sharing about teaching and learning practices within and across
schools.
 Schools are unsure regarding the use of external and social media in learning and teaching and there is
much variation in practice within and across schools.
Expertise
 Staff identify skills as being the main inhibitor to technology enhanced pedagogy. Within schools there
is no formal structured staff development to improve teaching practice. Across schools PCUTL could be
used to support Digital Literacy.
 Digital Literacy appears be more developed in schools where there is a strong professional requirement
for technology dependent practices.
Attitudes
 Teaching staff believe that using digital technology will cost them time rather than saving it. There is a
need to developing a greater awareness and understanding of value of digital literacy for efficiency.
 Feedback on practices that have bearing on Digital Literacy is contradictory. An agreed level of
consistency for a core or foundation set of Digital Literacies across courses and schools is desirable.
 Students feel that use of Learning Central (Blackboard VLE) and other centrally provisioned
technologies are inconsistent within and across schools.
 Students feel that communication with teaching staff could be improved in some schools. Social media
technologies could provide alternative mechanisms.
11.
Next Steps
Project objectives are outlined in section 2.1 and the information in the baseline will inform the quality and
the focus for these objectives as they are developed. We also feel that a focus model which looks at Task
first and then develops the skills to evaluate and use technology effectively is the most futureproof and
durable solution and one which will develop a meaningful and self sustaining digital literacy in staff and
students throughout the university. The tasks we believe are most significant based upon the research
conducted are the following:
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Searching
Retrieving
Managing
Creating
Disseminating
Communicating3
This list is inspired by the SCONUL seven pillars model for information literacy, however, for the purpose of this project evaluation,
identification, scoping and planning are not included because they are understood to be high-level cognitive activities performed across
many of the basic data/information tasks.