1. Directorate of Human Resources Characterising the digitally literature learner Dr. Rhona Sharpe Oxford Brookes University rsharpe@brookes.ac.uk

2. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Key findings Learners have high expectations across e.g. access, communication and functionality. They expect to be able to use personal technology and personalise institutional technology. The Internet is the first port of call for information. Learners see the Internet as a shared pool of information. Some have developed sophisticated search strategies, others contribute their own content. There is an underworld of social networking which is being used to support learning

3. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development For me, it helped with the continuity in between face-to-face lessons on the classroom. I like the fact that every day, or whenever I felt like it, I could just go in and practice [sic]. University of Deepshire internal evaluation, 2006 "For some people who suffer from disabilities and have no choice but to take time out, it is an enormous benefit in order to keep up with what is happening in lectures and what areas to read up on. Brilliant!!!". University of Eastonhall VLE Survery 1. Expectations of flexibility

4. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development 1. Expectations of personalisation I use my laptop. I take it away, it's attached to me. I couldn't survive without it. Emma, undergraduate business student, JISC LEX Report VLEs are owned by the institution, and the e- portfolio is owned by me. Emma in JISC Learner Voices video

5. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development 2. Internet for information Which means if I type in genetics, and Ive got stuck on something you can turn up other peoples lectures and that is quite common,.. …its too much to ask one university to provide all those teaching resources. So its a bit of an online pool (LXP Final Report, p.22)

6. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development 3. Underworld So my [group] we always text each other and say, oh are you coming in at this time or well meet at this time, and so it looks on the face of it from the university website that we havent been communicating all year but we have. (Nicola, postgraduate law student) Yeah, I write blog nearly everyday, that is when I look into these things, and I think something is important, I write it in my blog, as a notebook...but my.. course cannot see it. (LXP Final Report, p 44)

7. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Weve seen that learners are living and managing complex lives with holistic technology use and blurred boundaries between life and study, some learners have developed sophisticated uses of technology to support their learning. What can we learn from them?

8. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Developing effective e-learners Sharpe & Beetham: Future learners, future learning access & ownership

9. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Sharpe & Beetham: Future learners, future learning access & ownership e-learning skills e-writers e-investigators e-collaborators e-create e-collate e-collaborate e-investigate Developing effective e-learners

10. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Sharpe & Beetham: Future learners, future learning Digital pioneers Creative producers Everyday communicators Information gatherers access & ownership e-learning skills choices & strategies Developing effective e-learners

11. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Sharpe & Beetham: Future learners, future learning access & ownership e-learning skills choices & strategies Conceptions of learning Developing effective e-learners Conceptions of technology

12. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Sharpe & Beetham: Future learners, future learning access & ownership e-learning skills choices creative appropriation Conceptions of learning Developing effective e-learners Conceptions of technology

13. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Sharpe & Beetham: Future learners, future learning access & ownership e-learning skills choices & strategies creative appropriation e.g. using online social networks, using IM to do groupwork, podcasts on the bus, recording lectures on mobile for revision choices about attendance organising time gaining access to computer Managing flexibility

14. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Sharpe & Beetham: Future learners, future learning access & ownership e-learning skills choices & strategies creative appropriation Mixing and matching synchronous and asynchronous communications to manage group task giving & receiving feedback language of IM, public participation Installing IM client Managing discussions

15. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Sharpe & Beetham: Future learners, future learning access & ownership e-learning skills choices & strategies creative appropriation user created, synthesized content sophisticated search strategies evaluating online sources downloading lecture notes Managing knowledge

16. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Digital literacies? Building and participating in virtual and face-to-face communities to obtain and validate information and to seek support and companionship. Making good choices to manage time in blended/online courses and balance study with other commitments. Freely blending familiar personal and institutional technology to improve their learning potential. Creating and synthesizing own representations of knowledge from available information Exploiting the potential of technology for learning as appropriate.

17. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Beetham, H. & Sharpe, R. (eds) (2007) Rethinking Pedagogy for the digital age: designing and delivering e- learning. Routledge, London. Ellis, Goodyear, OHara & Prosser (2007) The university student experience of face to face and online discussions: coherence, reflection and meaning. ALT-J, 15 (1), 83-97. Green, H. & Hannon, C. (2007) Their space: education for a digital generation, Demos Green, H. & Hannon, C. (2007) Their space: education for a digital generation, Demos report available at www.demos.co.uk/publications/theirspace Madonald, J. (2006) Blended learning and online tutoring. Gower References

18. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Sharpe, R. & Benfield, G. (2007) Wider opportunities for reflection, learning and development (myWorld): Evaluation Report. January 2007. Sharpe, R., Benfield, G., Roberts, G. & Francis, R. (2006) The undergraduate experience of blended e-learning: a review of UK literature and practice undertaken for the Higher Education Academy. At www.heacademy.ac.uk/4884.htm Sharpe, R., Benfield, G., Lessner, E., & DeCicco, E. (2005) Learner Scoping Study: Final Report, available from www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=elp_learneroutcomes. Sweeney, J., O'Donoghue, T. and Whitehead, C. (2004). 'Traditional face-to-face and web-based tutorials: a study of university students' perspectives on the roles of tutorial participants.' Teaching in Higher Education 9(3). July 2004, 311-323 References