'You've been frameworked': evaluating an approach to digital and information literacy at the Open University

Katharine Reedy,Robin Goodfellow

doi:10.47408/jldhe.v0i0.291

Katharine Reedy, Robin Goodfellow

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.v0i0.291

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Abstract

This article explores the effectiveness of the Open University's (OU's) Digital and information literacy (DIL) framework (Reedy and Goodfellow, 2012) in promoting the integration of digital skills into modules and qualifications - a key strategic priority for the university - and in contributing to cultural change in the digital practices of teachers and learners - a key aim for the UK HE sector as a whole. We trace the history of digital and information literacy in the OU curriculum and elsewhere, leading up to the development of the framework. Four sets of interviews tell the story of academic and library staff engagement with it. These case studies are supplemented by two further interviews giving the perspective of OU middle managers responsible respectively for learning design and digital and information literacy development. We evaluate the success of the framework, and suggest how it might be further developed in future. Conclusions point strongly towards the need to involve students in shaping their own skills development, as found in other recent research (for example, Jisc, 2011a; 2011b).

Highlights

An influential report from the European E-Learning Programme (Rosado and Bélisle, 2006, p.10) defines an educational framework as ‘a rational structure that organizes institutional assumptions, curriculum objectives, educational concepts, ethical values, technologies, Reedy and Goodfellow ‘You’ve been frameworked’: evaluating an approach to digital and information literacy pedagogical goals and constraints, and professional practices, in order to implement educational policies’
The common themes identified from the responses to each question are set out below: 1. How is the Digital and Information Literacy (DIL) framework being used for your module or qualification? The main ways in which the framework has been used are:
For Classical Studies, the DIL framework was used to prompt discussion amongst the module team about what students could be expected to already know and be able to do, and how much support they would need. This view was supported by the Library Services Manager (Digital and Information Literacy), who stated that the original impetus for the DIL framework was to connect theory and policy to real life – to ‘make it happen’ at the OU

Summary

Introduction

An influential report from the European E-Learning Programme (Rosado and Bélisle, 2006, p.10) defines an educational framework as ‘a rational structure that organizes institutional assumptions, curriculum objectives, educational concepts, ethical values, technologies, Reedy and Goodfellow ‘You’ve been frameworked’: evaluating an approach to digital and information literacy pedagogical goals and constraints, and professional practices, in order to implement educational policies’. The authors categorise frameworks for ICT in education as having two basic types of rationale: those that foster ‘enriching everyone to cope with the new demands of an information/knowledge society...’ and those that build on ‘the need for change and innovation in the education system’ (Rosado and Bélisle, 2006, p.26). In their view a lack of engagement with the latter results in failure to bring about ‘a generalised integration of digital culture within school and university settings’ (Rosado and Bélisle, 2006, p.11). The unique contribution of the Framework to digital literacy development activities in the wider community is highlighted

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