Teaching and Learning in a Digital Age: Myths of Digital Competence

Blackboard Users Conference Durham 9-10 January 2014 Sue Watling University of Lincoln

Help!

Image from http://babyurl.net/names/baby-domain-name/establishing-a-babys-digital-identity-by-registering-their-domain-name

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Digital Natives

• Sticky image • Digital Literacies • Digital Scholarship • Steep learning curves for all… Marc Prensky (2001) ‘Digital Natives Digital Immigrants’ http://www.marcprensky.com

Neil Selwyn (2008) ‘The digital native myth and reality’ http://tinyurl.com/pxedt3w

Digital Immigrants

• Support for virtual learning • UCISA/JISC reports: development barriers include lack of time, money, training and the speed of digital change • Risks of low development: – Self-selection – DIY models – Digital divides and exclusions Image from: http://blog.b2sm.de/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/evolution.png

Myths of digital competence

There’s no need to provide support or resource for digital ways of working e.g.

– digital literacies – digital scholarship – digital pedagogy People know all this stuff these days….

Need to bear in mind…

Not everyone: • has a smart phone • can use track changes • manages their email • knows about html view • chats online • uses a webcam or wiki, • blogs …or is on Twitter… Image from http://edutech4teachers.edublogs.org/files/2012/07/digital-footprint-1beuk2c.png

• Having to choose a webpage or blog to share was an interesting but daunting activity.

• The induction activities taught me how to use a Wiki, this was something that I hadn't done before.

• I felt less comfortable with the discussion board. I didn't manage to include a picture.

• I have even more to learn about online learning than I thought.

• Being an online learner is a confusing experience.

• I struggled to with some of the activities - my lack of skill in using the technology coming to play here

Technological determinism

The belief virtual learning will: •cut costs •increase efficiency •let you do more for less •be intuitive, user friendly

Whose research is it anyway?

• Myths…can be based on assumptions • Most staff are not learning technologists – but subject experts

It’s only easy if you know how...

• VLE challenge can’t be underestimated • Can’t know what you don’t know • technology change = exponentially increased learning curves.

• Digital immigrants need support too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ&list=RDUOorZQLsmuA (2.44)

Sue Watling [email protected]

Centre for Educational Research and Development University of Lincoln http://suewatling.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk

Twitter @suewatling