pathways to participation in the digital world

Pathways to participation in the Digital World:

What happens when people with literacy difficulties begin to use ICT for the first time?

Leo Casey, NALA ALO Forum

23rd of April, 2009

What is a basic literacy?

Digital literacy as a basic literacy

Insights from learning for digital literacy

How should educators respond?

Literacy

… as Skills

Individual have/have not

Specific to technology/software

Measured by tests

Quantitative research

…as Social Practice

Associated with situations

Shared meaning

Emphasis on tasks and activities

Qualitative research

Digital Literacy

Print Literacy

Computer Literacy

Information

Literacy

Med

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Literacy and Literacies

What do we mean by a ‘basic’ literacy

The question is why we describe some practices, such as using digital technologies, or using numbers in everyday situations, as basic literacies and not others?

A basic literacy is...

Associated with a situation or practice not with an individual

Such a practice has significant social or economic value

The practice is pervasive – difficult to avoid

Digital Literacy is a basic literacy

The Digital World

Across the 25 EU Member States

37% of people aged 16 - 74 lack basic computer skills

61% of people over 55 years of age have never used a computer

80% of the over 55s with lower-levels of education have never used a computer

Source: Eurostat - Statistics in Focus, 2006, No. 17. European Commission

Interview Participants

BEN

Ben is 48 years oldBen is 48 years old

Works in transportWorks in transport

Connects with the office for Connects with the office for docketsdockets

Sees others using computersSees others using computers

Feels left out and alienatedFeels left out and alienated

Wants to be Wants to be competentcompetent - do his - do his own docketsown dockets

and and participateparticipate - book holidays - book holidays on the Internet, send e-mailson the Internet, send e-mails

Adult Learners

Learn what they want to learn and what they perceive as useful and they integrate new learning with past experience

Tusting, K. and Barton, D. (2003) Models of adult learning: a literature review,

National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy.

Institute of Education, UK.

From the student’s perspective...

Three significant concepts influencing learning for basic computer skills:

Competence Desire

The Digital World

Learning Identity

Competence Desire

General Competence Desire

Specific Competence Desire

The Digital World

I am outside the Digital World

The Digital World is to be respected even feared

Mary: I just felt that I was left out of it I mean I tried to use it a few times and he [her son] nearly …died because he knew I couldn’t use it properly.

Mary: I was too afraid because as you get older in life technology … you kind of fear it because you didn’t grow up with it, really … and I was a bit scared of it

The Digital World

I did not always have a need to be part of the Digital World but I do now

The Digital World is up there.

Marie: … being left out of it? I think yes probably. As I get older I think it’s something that I would use more and more (because it connects you?) yes with people, family and friends.

Mary: I mean, I drive a car I passed my test I didn’t [ fail]…but for some reason, that… didn’t seem as big as actually … using a computer isn’t it funny! It was more manual, it was more hands on … where computers are kind of up there you know.

Learning Identity

Mary, the 53-year-old retail worker

The reason I decided to participate in the course was as there was a computer in my home that my son used and he was very good at.

I just felt that I was left out of it I mean I tried to use it a few times and he nearly … died because he knew I couldn’t use it properly.

Mary, the 53-year-old retail worker (continued)

And to be honest even to go on the Internet and look up things or even write a letter or e-mail I always felt excluded

and at this moment in life everyone’s talking about e-mails, everyone’s talking about Internet and I was totally out of that, because I didn’t know how to use it properly

Ben, 48 year old dockland worker

It’s just that I worked around computers that I never went near them ... in the last job I was in.

What I didn’t learn from...them, what I could have learned, and I’m just ignorant passing by them every day knowing that ‘here could you print me this’ or ‘do this on it’ and all that


I remember the teacher saying this’ll do you a world of good.

Yeh right!

Just give me a shovel and I’ll dig a hole .… what do I need a computer for to dig a hole

but now-a-day if you see people digging a hole they have to take measurements … it’s all back, all paperwork’s back into computers


.... broadband or whatever that is but it’s a new word for me.

So what is that?

It’s not like I just learn the word.

I know the word broadband but you have to learn ... tell me what it is, even though I know the name I don’t know what it means or what it is.

Tim -65 year old recent retiree

Dear Gerry,I would like to make a suggesting as the people have no trust in the Government. As we have seen what people power can do would it not be better if all the sporting people of the country got behind the Garda. And used the a credential email address to the garda of any thing that could be helpful or any other About this case thing they see if we are to put a stop to all of the murders …. this could happing again to any of us if we are in the wrong place at the wrong time Please don't mention my name.

A Grounded Theory

How should educators respond?

The challenge and the opportunity

The Digital World – Narrow the Gap

Pedagogic strategies need to deal with the Digital World.

Non-users should to be invited in; to explore in confidence and without risk.

This may be achieved by means of stories of role models, people like themselves, who are now active with ICT.

Competence Desire – Get Specific

Competence Desire is a powerful pro-disposition to support adult students as they begin to use new technologies

By focusing on specific tasks and outcomes, learners can avail of the immediate advantages of their actions

Competence desires may be harnessed as a means of setting goals for adult learning

Competence Desire – Get Specific

Learning is best supported by a close connection between the usage and learning context

• simulated environments for task completion, • safe zones for exploration without risk • choice and agency

In contrast, a generalised competence desire is less useful and may even reinforce feelings of inadequacy

Learning IdentityExperiences of school still loom large

Age and technology – older people are not expected to be good with technology.

Risk of learning - the potential pitfalls are • shame • fear of failure • wasted effort • and an expectation of school-like

situations.

Learning IdentityPedagogic strategies to help adult basic skills

learners to reconstruct their Learning Identities will focus on:

• self-esteem • re-appraisal of school experiences • planning for learning • experience of learning

Thank You