Developing students' digital literacy
The issue
As 90% of new jobs will require excellent digital skills, improving digital literacy (by which we mean those capabilities essential for living, learning and working in a digital society) is a key component for developing effective and employable learners. But many learners enter further and higher education lacking the required skills.
How technology can help
Courses that embed core digital skills, as well as subject-specific use of technology, enable students to gain the skills and confidence they need to use digital technology not only to support their learning but also in the workplace.
Colleges and universities can help to develop students' digital literacy to help with academic research, writing and critical thinking, supporting vocational and professional development or as a way to showcase achievements.
Institutional review and planning
In order to plan improvements, it is helpful to review current provision and processes, highlighting good practice and identifying areas for future development.
We offer a set of recommendations to help you examine your institution’s provision and support for improving digital literacy.
Our organisational audit tool will help you identify current areas of good practice and highlight areas for future development. Our Regional Support Centres can help with carrying out a review using the FE and Skills version of the audit tool.
- Case studies: preparing HE and FE students for learning in a digital age
- Guide: Emerging practice in a digital age
Develop digital skills for study
Based on our research into learners’ experiences, knowledge and expectations of technologies, we’ve developed guidance to help your institution support students to develop new digital skills for study.
Looking ahead
We are funding a programme of work to support organisational strategies and approaches for improving digital literacies for all staff and learners. Our recent baseline reports and briefing paper provide a snapshot of early programme outcomes and explore some emerging themes.
Keep up to date with resources emerging from our work on developing digital literacies.