JISC

Digital literacies (DLs) are those capabilities that fit an individual for learning, working and living in a context where digital forms of information and communication predominate. DL can be understood as an aspect of other capabilities, including enterprise, creativity, innovation, career planning and lifelong learning (taken from Plymouth University’s JISC funded BCUP project). Furthermore, it has been estimated that around 75% of all UK workers are IT users and that possession of such skills greatly contributes to employability.

Plymouth University recognises that DLs impact on all staff, students and institutional practice. It has undertaken a small scale DL review, as part of its current Teaching and Learning Strategy and through the BCUP project. SEEDPoD, a two year project that will complete in July 2013, will build on that work in order to identify and implement a range of appropriate interventions that will instigate a step change in adoption of the digital skills across our stakeholder groups.

The project will investigate, implement and evaluate strategies, frameworks, technologies and associated interventions and policies that will assist in the embedding of DLs in to the curriculum delivery (short term) and design (long term) processes of the university in order to promote the ‘normalising’ of DLs as an integral part of the student experience across the University and partner further education institutions. The project will be working with the Association of Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE).

Objectives

SEEDPoD will work alongside a community of senior managers, academic and professional staff and give a voice to student stakeholders covering STEM and non-STEM subjects, postgraduates, work-based learners, partner college and feeder institution students.

It will review of current levels of digital inclusion mapped against different stakeholder groups and determine provision necessary for an equal experience. Barriers and mechanisms to this will be examined. All findings will shape University strategies and priorities related to course delivery, design, monitoring, review and validation; and develop staff and student development opportunities. These innovations will be piloted and evaluated in a range of settings.

Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes

Briefly stated, the outputs from SEEDPoD will be:

• Baseline report
• Review of other work in this area
• Activities to support capacity building
• Piloting embedding of DLs in different contexts
• Case studies and use cases
• Briefing document for the sector
• Materials to facilitate wider take-up of the Plymouth approach
• Evaluation of stakeholders’ experiences
• Evaluation report reflecting on the issues encountered, articulating what has been learnt through carrying out the project, descriptions of the key processes tackled by the project and what future questions need to be explored.