Challenging assumptions about
IT skills in HE
Don’t assume, identify.
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
1
Rise in use of technology
Digital native theory
My response as IT tutor
Research refuting DN theory
Recommendations
My background …
• Academic Skills tutor for IT
• My academic journey with IT
– Pre-technology undergraduate
– Mid-technology PGCE student
– Current-technology MA student
• Am very pro-technology
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
2
My role as a tutor
• Tutorials and drop-in
workshops
• Customised IT sessions
• Development of IT
resources
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
3
1. Rise in use of technology
• VLE
• Increase in e-portfolios
• Microsoft Office or similar
• Increasing use of other technologies
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
4
The digital native
The theorists
– Tapscott (1998)
– Prensky (2001)
– Oblinger (2003)
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
5
My response as an tutor?
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
6
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
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0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Autumn & Spring
Terms 2009-10
Autumn & Spring
Terms 2010-11
Autumn & Spring
Terms 2011-12
Growth in IT support
Drop in IT workshops Customised workshops Tutorials
Common questions at the IT Helpdesk
• Individual page pagination
• Section breaks
• Table of contents
• Headings and other styles
• Advanced numbering
• Excel basics
• Insert text boxes/shapes Charts/graphs and data series
• Inserting images/text
• Shape/image effects
• Animations
• Printing and scanning
• Resetting passwords
• Wireless setup/use of
• File locations
• File suffixes
• What ‘Drive’ letters mean
• Using Google Email
• Email attachments
• Saving and downloading
• Accessing VLE and Portal
• Bookmarking websites
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
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3. The digital native?
• Non homogenous
student population
• Don’t learn by
exploration alone
• Social use of
technology versus
academic use
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
9
4. Recommendations
• Establish an effective
digital literacy policy
• Don’t
assume, identify!
• Have support in place
for students who need it
• Up to date research
across UK HE needed
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
10
Make IT a core
Study Skill
Challenging assumptions about
IT skills in HE
Don’t assume, identify
Stevie Farrell, Leeds Metropolitan University
