Personal Actualisation and Development through Digital Literacies in Education (PADDLE)
Project Information
Project Title (and acronym) / Personal Actualisation and Development through Digital Literacies in Education (PADDLE)
Start Date / June 2011 / End Date / July 2013
Lead Institution / Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
Partner Institutions / Coleg Harlech, Deeside College, Yale College
Project Director / Jackie Doodson, Principal, Coleg Llandrillo
Project Manager & contact details / Dr Andrew Eynon, Library & Learning Technology Manager, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai,
Project website /
Project blog and Twitter ID / #jiscpaddle
Design Studio home page /
Programme Name / Digital Literacy
Programme Manager / Sarah Davies
1Summary
PADDLE was an ambitious project – encompassing five colleges, each of which focused on improving the digital literacy (DL) of different cohorts of staff and learners. The project has achieved many successful outcomes, including the following:
- It has clearly defined digital literacy in the FE context – this includes both the scope of digital literacy in the FE sector and the range of digital practices undertaken by staff and learners both within further education and in their wider lives.
- Established institutional policies on embedding DL, specifically as regards e-safety,
- Identified good practice case studies on embedding DL in the classroom
- Created digital literacy frameworks for a range of staff and learners
- Piloted Agored Cymru (OCN) units in Information Literacy at levels 2 and 3
- Platform (in-folio) to be adopted for collating digital evidence and recording learner achievement in the coming academic year. Importantly it is the staff buy-in and the recognition of the way digital content can enhance both the learner experience and quality of outcomes which are the key achievements.
Recommendations
We would make a number of recommendations for other FE colleges embarking on digital literacy strategies:
- Encourage staff to engage through the use of small grants to pay for their time or by giving them equipment to work with eg their own ipad.
- Learners are developing their own solutions (eg facebook) and they do not always want staff to be a part of this. Institutions should be encouraging this rather than forcing learners to use platforms determined by the institution
- Institutions need to support learners’ use of their own devices – charging, infrastructure, and security (not as much as an issue with HE, perhaps parent pressure with younger learners). However, institutions must ensure learners who do not have own devices are not excluded.
- This will mean significant institutional cultural change in allowing learners to use their own devices (eg smartphones) in class and seeing this as a positive learning activity.
- Focus on digital literacy skills relating to activities not equipment or systems.
- Digital literacy skills and needs are generally common to all groups of staff and learners. The project has therefore identified core digital skills that are needed across the FE sector.
- Use of ‘hooks’ to encourage take up. Digital literacies need to be sold on their benefits in terms of practical applications rather than simply in terms of improving skills
- Awareness of e-safety is essential for all staff and learners in FE. Colleges must assume responsibility for supporting this and not rely on others (eg parents or schools to undertake this work for them)
2What are the headline achievements of your project?
The project has identified a wide range of strategies for improving digital literacy in the FE context. These include:
- Clear definition of digital skills and practice tailored to FE
- the creation of a wide range of staff and learner virtual communities of practice, utilising a range of platforms
- use of webinars to develop digital skills and to share good practice and staff development in digital literacy across institutions,
- identified range of examples of good practice in embedding digital literacy in the classroom
- trained student peer e-guides to provide classroom support for their fellow learners
- Created an environment within the curriculum which recognises DL is an integral part of curriculum planning and delivery, with outcomes utilising DL skills, defined, supported and assessed.
- Developed a sustainable model for capturing learner progress (within ILS).
- Supported the use of mobile devices in the classroom
- Worked with a range of learners and staff groups, many of whom would not usually be given high priority in the development of digital literacies eg ILS and ACL learners in comparison to traditional full time under 19 year old FE learners
3What were the key drivers for undertaking the project?
3.1 Background
The level of digital literacy skills amongst staff and learners varies considerably within and across institutions although the core needs are very similar.The following ‘landscape’ documentation influenced our definition of Digital Literacy; Digital Britain (DCMS and BIS, 2009), The Heart of Digital Wales (WAG, 2009), Digital Inclusion in Wales (Welsh Affairs Committee, 2009), Delivering Digital Inclusion - A strategic framework for Wales (WAG, 2010) and Thriving in the 21st century: learning literacies for the Digital Age (JISC, 2009). Initially the Welsh Government had focussed on the access issues in relation to digital inclusion and these issues are still relevant given the geographical and/or social exclusion issues facing many parts of Wales. However there is now more emphasis on digital skills and digital literacy.
Subsequently, the Welsh Government has outlined a Digital future for Wales in Deliveringa digital Wales (2010), which makes reference to the need for better digital skills in the classroom and workplace. In relation to Further Education the landscape has been further defined through the Review of qualifications for 14-19 year olds in Wales (2012). This review has recommended that the current essential skills ICT qualification be revamped as a ‘Digital Literacy’ qualification (which will be delivered to all full time learners in this age range).
Furthermore the Welsh Government conducted an independent review of digital literacy in the classroom (covering schools and FE) which produced a reportFind it, make it, use it, share it: learning in Digital Wales (2012) and established a best practice website (which includes an example from one of the project colleges).
The initial aims of the project were to:
- Create a framework of digital literacy skills tailored to specific types of learners and groups of staff. There were to be separate frameworks for managers, tutors, learners and support staff.
- Embed digital literacy skills amongst staff through the development of virtual communities of practice and learners through virtual study groups.
- Embed digital literacy skills in curriculum delivery and assessment, which are closely linked to employability skills – we hoped to have embarked on this process by the end of two years but ultimately this was to be a longer term goal.
- Establish enhanced digital literacy skills as a strategic objective across all participating institutions by the end of the two year project.
In addition, the project sought to address the JISC ‘Learning Literacies for a Digital Age’ recommendations:
- To establish a culture of embedding digital literacy skills in curriculum delivery and assessment, which are closely linked to employability
- To raise the digital literacy awareness and skill level of staff and learners. To encourage a more proactive approach in the adoption of digital literacy skills by staff and learners as part of their Continuing Professional Development.
- To establish enhanced digital literacy skills as a strategic objective across all participating institutions
3.2 Stakeholders
3.2.1 Management/governors
Colleges were keen to move towards paperless meetings at SMT and Board of Governors levels. This facilitated the move to provision of laptops and now ipads to senior managers and governors at both Grŵp Llandrillo Menai and at Yale College.These meant managers had to engage with new digital ways of working and encouraged interest in the wider project and in developing the digital skills of staff and learners.
3.2.2 Tutors
For tutors the benefits of improved digital literacy were manifold. Firstly by improving their digital skills tutors would be encouraged to incorporate newer forms of teaching and better integration of learning technology into the classroom. This was seen as particularly desirable given the familiarity and use of new technologies, particularly social media, by our main 16-19 year old learner group. In particular tutors were encouraged to foster virtual Communities of Practice with their learners and colleagues to improve the learner experience and to share good practice. Finally, improving digital literacy skills amongst tutors would improve their life skills and use of digital tools outside the classroom.
3.3.3 Support staff
The project also sought to improve the digital skills of support staff. This was to aid working across the dispersed geography of the staffing groups concerned – with many staff working on their own and in locations isolated from other similar college staff. Specifically learning resource staff at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai were targeted. The College has 10 Learning Resource Centres over a very wide area (with campuses being over 50 miles apart in some instances). The virtual Community of Practice aimed at creating a greater group identity for the staff as well as a support mechanism and means of sharing good practice. This model was seen as appropriate for rollout to other support staff groups working in similar isolation.
3.3.4 Learners
The benefits to learners were also manifold. Learners would benefit from greater use of digital tools in the classroom (through the support for BYOD and in the provision of mobile devices by the institution). Learners would be given support with invaluable life skills and employability skills, particularly in the sphere of e-safety. Furthermore, learners would benefit from the skills of their peer in academic terms through the creation of virtual study groups and with their digital skills through the use of peer e-guides.
4Describe the educational/organisational context in which you undertook your project
4.1Partner institutions
The project encompassed the five further education (FE) colleges in North Wales: Coleg Harlech, Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai, Deeside College and Yale College Wrexham. These colleges covered some 60,000 learners and 4,000 staff. Over the lifespan of the project there have been major institutional changes which has resulted in the merger of Coleg Llandrillo and Coleg Menai (to form Grŵp Llandrillo Menai in April 2012) and of Deeside College and Yale College Wrexham (to form Coleg Cambria which will be completed by August 2013). Coleg Harlech has been in discussion with WEA South Wales to form WEA Cymru. Furthermore, structural changes at Coleg Harlech have prevented its full participation in year two of the project and consequently the Adult and Community Learning (ACL) elements of the project have been picked up by Coleg Menai.
4.2Staff and learner groups
Recognising that many of the client groups would have a different knowledge and skill base was seen as a key challenge but also an ideal opportunity to explore the complexities of DL and its meaning and application to specific groups or roles within an organisation. The client groups nominated for the project demonstrate both the diversity and broad curriculum spectrum within the FE sector.
Each institution focused on specific cohorts of staff and learners, as follows:
Deeside College
Deeside College is a general vocational FE college with a high percentage of work based learners (particularly in the local engineering sector).
Work Based Learning – learners and assessors
Independent Living Skills (ILS) - (ie Special Educational Needs) learners and tutors
Coleg Harlech
Coleg Harlech is an adult residential college and provider of Adult and Community provision across North West Wales.
Adult & Community Learning – learners and tutors
Coleg Llandrillo
Coleg Llandrillo is a large general FE college covering the full range of vocational FE provision (including land based). The college is also the main provider of HE in FE in Wales with around one thousand learners on vocational HE programmes.
Staff engaged in scholarship
HE tutors and learners
Library & Learning Resource Staff
Coleg Menai
Coleg Menai is a general FE college covering a wide range of vocational provision, in addition to a large ESOL cohort.
Vocational FE & ESOL – learners and tutors
Access to HE - learners and tutors
Adult & Community Learning – learners and tutors
Yale College Wrexham
Yale College provides vocational education but is primarily a provider of academic A level courses.
A Level, vocational & 14-19 provision – learners and teachers
Senior Managers & Governors
4.3 Baseline data findings
The FE colleges within the PADDLE consortia offer typical examples of the support offered by FE institutions in relation to digital literacy.
Within FE learning technologists were traditionally deployed to support digital literacy in the classroom by providing staff development activities for teaching staff and by providing tutors with one to one support where required. At Coleg Menai learning technology currently resided with the staff development unit in the college.
This is still a feature of learning technologists in FE, although many learning technologists now also directly support learners. At Coleg Llandrillo and Deeside College learning technology support has been integrated with the learning resources service to create a more learner focussed service.
FE colleges provide digital literacy support for learners directly through training sessions for learners (particularly with regards to learning resources/information literacy).
In addition institutions provided online support via college VLEs, which is particularly beneficial to learners/staff who may be studying at a distance from the main college campuses where face-to-face support is provided. FE learners prefer digital literacy support material and in a range of formats eg handouts, video tutorials etc (rather than the HE philosophy that students acquire digital literacy skills through self study).
There was a need within the project to record and analyse distance travelled, especially for project cohorts where some kind of intervention took place. Due to the complexity of the client groups it was necessary to research and adapt DL frameworks in to a number of questionnaires’ or observation templates which could be mapped to existing skills, competencies or indeed awareness of DL concepts.
This provided valuable baseline data for both the project team and tutors working with particular groups, highlighting often for the first time the current deployment of DL skills and technology and its application and use for personal, business or education purposes. This process was also useful for introducing reflection, with individuals examining how technologies and skills could be deployed across boundaries and be used effectively for capturing and recording learning or achievement.
The baseline data highlighted a number of institutional barriers to digital literacy – such as wifi infrastructure, support for BYOD, attitude to social media etc. In addition the report highlighted areas of concern to tutors:
•encouraging learners to critique the technologies they use
•encouraging learners to personalise the technologies they use
•encouraging learners to use technology outside the classroom
Furthermore, the data showed that the use of virtual communities of practice (particularly through Facebook) by learners was already widespread which meant the benefits to those were apparent but that it would be difficult to encourage the use of platforms with more educational features.
5How did you approach the project?
5.1 Initial approach
The main project challenge was to demonstrate to staff and learners the benefits of enhanced digital literacy skills in relation to more effective working and studying practices. In essence encouraging staff and learners to work more effectively (practice) by sharing with others (community), where they become known (identity) and where they reflect on the process (meaning). Moreover we argued these processes would not happen without embedding Digital Literacy skills.
Furthermore, by adopting a Digital Society context for the development of skills, knowledge and attitudes it was hoped that the wider personal and social lives of staff and students would also benefit, encouraging more effective digital and global citizenship and improved employability skills. To this end the consortia worked with a range of stakeholders including professional bodies, professional networks, local employers, senior managers and governors to facilitate the embedding of a framework of digital literacy skills amongst staff and learners.
The project encompassed a very wide range of stakeholder groups. Each participating institution supported a specific learner and tutor type. It was envisaged that by the end of year one the project team would be in a position to implement the benefits and positive experiences identified across all the participating institutions and their respective stakeholder groups. In reality that has taken the full two years in many instances (although there are already many examples of cross college working).
The project sought to address the JISC ‘Learning Literacies for a Digital Age’ recommendations:
- To establish a culture of embedding digital literacy skills in curriculum delivery and assessment, which are closely linked to employability
- To raise the digital literacy awareness and skill level of staff and learners. To encourage a more proactive approach in the adoption of digital literacy skills by staff and learners as part of their Continuing Professional Development.
- To establish enhanced digital literacy skills as a strategic objective across all participating institutions
The project sought to identify a broad framework of digital literacy skills, applicable to a very wide range of learners of differing abilities and aspirations, in addition to the full range of staff groupings within FE. This framework will go well beyond the limited definition of Information Literacy, to include basic ICT skills, e-safety, Web 2.0 technologies, Apps and the effective use of VLEs.
We began by defining digital literacy in the FE context. Digital literacy is a term which has only gained widespread use in the FE sector during the lifespan of the project. In Wales the term is now widely used by the Welsh Government and inspectorate (Estyn). There is however still some confusion as to what it exactly encompasses but there is now a consensus on a broad definition of the term rather than a focus on specific aspects eg digital inclusion.