What should ‘digital literacy’ look like in an age of algorithms and AI?

Children and young people have long been expected to develop digital skills and knowledge relevant to the technologies of their time. During the 1980s this took the form of ‘computer literacy’ and ‘computer skills’ such as learning basic programming commands and how to format floppy disks. In the 1990s, attention turned to ‘internet literacy’ and ‘web skills’ such as navigating hypertext and building web-pages. The 2000s and 2010s then saw the rise of ‘cyber safety’ and ‘21st century skills’ such as online communication, creativity and collaboration. Most recently, we have seen calls for ‘media & information literacy’ skills relating to dealing with viral content, misinformation and fake news

An investigation of differences in undergraduates' academic use of the internet

Based on survey data from 1222 undergraduate students studying at UK higher education institutions, this article addresses students' engagement with the internet as a source of academic information for their studies. In particular the article explores how academic use of the internet is patterned by a range of potential influences such as students' wider internet use, access and expertise, their year of study, gender, age, ethnic and educational background. Analysis of these data suggests that students' academic internet use is most strongly patterned along the lines of gender and subject-specialism rather than other individual characteristics or differences in technology access or expertise. The article therefore considers how these differences can be addressed by those seeking to encourage ICT-based learning across all sectors of the undergraduate population

Minding our language: why education and technology is full of bullshit … and what might be done about it

This is a call to challenge the language used to describe education and technology. In an era of 'game changers', 'disruption' and 'transformation', educators are urged to be more mindful of the words that are used to describe technology use in education, and the ways in which they are used. Altering what is said (and how it is being said) is likely to be one of the most straightforward but significant means of improving the integrity and overall impact of this field. This paper paper makes a case for talking more frequently and forcibly about education and technology in ways that foreground issues such as democracy, public values, the common good, morals and ethics. Let us challenge the tired buzz-words and taglines that distort discussions of education and technology. Let us be more confident in calling out lazy generalizations and out-right bullshit. Above all, let us collectively 'mind our language' when it comes to talking about education and technology"

School use of learning platforms and associated technologies – case study: secondary school 2

Study of benefits and effective use of learning platforms in schools based on 12 case studie

School use of learning platforms and associated technologies - case study: primary school 1

Study of benefits and effective use of learning platforms in schools based on 12 case studie