Tag Archives: Abhay Adhikari

Digital literacy in higher education: the Guardian’s live chat Mar.2.12

For those of us on the west coast of North America, the Guardian’s digital literacy chat started at 4 am PST (12 GMT) on March 2, 2012. My apologies for not posting this ahead of time but I’m hoping the fact that you can read the comments afterwards will make up for it somewhat. First, here’s a definition of what they mean by the term ‘digital literacy’, from the Guardian’s Higher Education Network blog,

Digital literacy is vital for both education and life but it’s often taken simply to mean computer skills. On Friday 2 March, we’ll explore what digital literacy is and why it matters in HE [higher education].

So what is digital literacy? In a blog for us, JISC InfoNet researcher Doug Belshaw, describes the digitally literate as knowing how the web works, understanding how ideas spread through networks and able to use digital tools to work purposefully towards a pre-specified goal.

But he then laments that digital literacy goes beyond mere computing skills such as using a word-processor or a database: “The digital world is not a single, homogeneous space and, as a result, the literacies we require to traverse and interact in this space vary enormously. The digital landscape changes rapidly meaning that young people require not a static functional literacy, but a critical and creative set of attributes that help them to navigate various networks.”

The panel they’ve assembled to discuss digital literacy includes,

Josie Fraser, social and educational technologist, Leicester City Council

Josie promotes and develops the effective and innovative use of ICT and e-learning policy and practice in the UK and internationally.She’s active in online community research and development, have served on several national and international advisory boards. Working across the broad field of educational technology, she’s primarily interested in digital literacy, and in how social technologies can be used to support learning and community development. @josiefraser

Elizabeth Losh, director, Culture, Art, and Technology program, Sixth College, University of California, San Diego

Elizabeth writes about digital literacy, distance learning, and the politics of Internet culture. She has published articles about videogames for the military and emergency first-responders, government websites and YouTube channels, state-funded distance learning efforts, national digital libraries, political blogging, and congressional hearings on the Internet. She is also the author of Virtualpolitik. @lizlosh

David White, researcher, University of Oxford

David runs an online learning group (TALL) at the University of Oxford. He developed the ‘Visitors and Residents’ continuum of online engagement which he uses as a framework to map the ways in which learners are using the web. Currently running the JISC funded Digital Visitors and Residents project and a public engagement in science project with Marcus du Sautoy called ‘Maths in the City’ @daveowhite

Helen Beetham, consultant, JISC

Helen is an adviser to the JISC Developing Digital Literacies programme and works with a number of UK Universities on strategic approaches to digital capability. She was previously principle investigator on the Learning Literacies for a Digital Age study (2009-2011) and co-holder of an ESRC seminar series on Literacies in the Digital University. As a member of the Beyond Current Horizons programme she was responsible for advising the last Government on a range of future scenarios for education. @helenbeetham

Abhay Adhikari, digital strategist, Digital Footprints

Abhay develops digital engagement strategies for the arts, culture and education sectors. He has worked on a range of global web based projects with private, public and voluntary sector organizations including BBC World Service Trust, British Council and Zubaan. He has hosted Social Media Surgeries in both the UK and India, and has developed undergraduate enterprise development programmes for institutions such as the University of York. Abhay recently spoke at TEDxYork. @gopaldass

Sue Thomas, professor of new media, De Montfort University

Sue has pioneered the concept of transliteracy which unifies literacies across time and culture and can be defined as ‘the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks.’ She is currently writing ‘Technobiophilia: nature and cyberspace’, forthcoming in 2013 with Bloomsbury Academic. @suethomas

Chris Meade, director, if:book UK

Chris is a writer, speaker, blogger and director of think and do tank exploring digital possibilities for literature, linked to the Institute for the Future of the Book, USA. if:book uk projects include immersive transmedia stories for schools, (e.g. Hotbook); collaborative writing (24 hour book); curated learning events (How Power Corrupts). Chris was previously Director of Booktrust (2000-7) and The Poetry Society (1994 – 2000). @ifbook

Alison Mackenzie, dean of Learning Services, Edge Hill University

Alison manages a broad range of academic services, extending beyond library, information and research support services to include learning, media and classroom technologies. This mix of activities, services and technologies characterize much of what features in the digital university and one measure of success is that my Service provides the right kind of support to staff and students to be able to gain the expertise they need to in turn be successful in their academic pursuits.

Tristram Hooley, head, International Centre for Guidance Studies

Tristram is responsible for overseeing the development of the research and education programmes run by the Centre. He has been involved in research, teaching and education in and around higher education for most of his career and has particular interests in careers, doctoral education, social capital and the role of technology in research, teaching and guidance. He also writes the Adventure in Career Development blog. @pigironjoe

Sarah Knight, programme manager, e-Learning, JISC

Sarah currently co-ordinates JISC’s work on Developing Digital Literacies which includes a programme of 12 institutional projects undertaking a holistic approach to developing digital literacies for all their staff and students. She has managed the production of numerous of internationally acclaimed e-Learning Programme publications including the recently launched Emerging practice in a digital age and Effective assessment in a digital age. @sarahknight

I’d like to note that Sue Thomas was one of my teachers and co-leader of the master’s programme (Creative Writing and New Media) at De Montfort University and Chris Meade was a member of my cohort.