Developing students’ digital literacies through Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL): a matter of student ownership

Tünde Varga-Atkins (learning technologist) Emma Thompson (librarian) Simon Snowden (academic)

ALTC-2013, 11 Sep 2013

Session outline

1. Action Research – Appreciative inquirya) Why -> EBL model b) What we did -> Module and Datac) What we found out -> Themesd) Peer discussion (Your input)

-> Activity: Think-Pair-Share)e) Future -> Development / Publication

2. Questions and discussion

Action Research: a) why?

• Subject matter: Sustainability – emerging field• Active learning• School’s graduate attributes: ‘lifelong learner’

Solution: Enquiry-Based Learning = + subject matter + scholarship + teamwork + digital/information literacies

b) What we did

What we didEnquiry-Based Learning model

Searching for resources

Gaining confidence with frequent flipchart presentations

Exeter Learner Quiz

How does Wikipedia work? (Behind the scenes) Choosing a Wikipedia article to edit

Skype interview with a journalistResearching social media presence of scholars and the area of sustainability

Explicit reflection on DL development

Focus on: digital literacies

Digital tasks with digital learning tools

Working towards editing a Wikipedia article

c) Research Data : to what extent does this EBL model promote development of digital literacies?

• Focus group• Reflective journal entries• Reflective assignment• Module marks• Observation

Feedback used for future development

student reflective logs and assignments:

catalyst

Digital Den?

d) Themes

1. Challenging preconceptions

of own DLs

2. The wizard (scholar) and the apprentice (student)

3. Re-exploring the (digital) landscape

Think-Pair-Share Activity11 excerpts from student journals and reflective assignments• Think: read one or more excerpts on your own.

Which of the 3 themes does it/they exemplify? Can you think of any other themes?

• Pair: discuss the above with your pair (or in 3s)Share: write any new theme on post-it; be ready to report back to the whole group

Theme 1. Challenging preconceptions of their own digital literacies

• Students reflect and re-assess their own digital capability

Theme 2. The Wizard and the Apprentice

Students develop (digital scholarship) capability because they are asked to look behind the curtain!

Theme 3. Re-exploring a familiar landscape

• Technology for exploration:– Consuming -> Seeking -> Producing– Social -> Learning– Personal -> Institutional

Think-Pair-Share Activity11 excerpts from student journals and reflective assignments• Think: read one or more excerpts on your own.

Which of the 3 themes does it/they exemplify? Can you think of any other themes?

• Pair: discuss the above with your pair (or in 3s), write any new theme on sheet of paper

• Share: be ready to report back to whole group

Think-Pair-Share : Discussion• Other themes? • Theme 1: Challenging preconceptions (1-5)• Theme 2: Wizard and Apprentice (11)• Theme 3: Re-exploring landscape (6-10)

Conclusion• Strong evidence of student [digital] learning • Future: scaling up; digital champions

• Shared an EBL model (explicit IL/DL)• Value = Academic + Library + eLearning Unit

libraryacademic

eLearning Unit

Tünde Varga-Atkins tva@liv.ac.uk @tundeva

Emma.Thompson@liv.ac.uk @LibraryEmma

Simon.Snowden@liv.ac.uk @CreaticDestruct

Developing Digital Literacies Programmehttp://digilearn.liv.ac.uk

Photo creditsStudent/Session photos Tünde Varga-Atkins/Emma Thompson

Student in landscape http://grandmaraisschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DSCF9526.jpg

Wizard behind curtain http://tonymccollum.com/2013/01/behind-the-magic/

Distorting mirror http://poojycat.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/with-friends-in-a-distorting-mirror/