Presented at LILAC 2022

1. EXPLORING HOW
UNIVERSITY
LECTURERS
CONSTRUCT
THEIR
KNOWLEDGE OF
INFORMATION
AND DIGITAL
LITERACY
Paul Cannon
@pcann_LIS

2. STUDY CONTEXT AND
METHODOLOGY
PROFESSIONAL
DOCTORATE
Blended, part-time
doctorate
Professional, reflective
practice
Transformative change
PROFESSIONAL
CONTEXT
University of Glasgow, a
Russel Group ancient
university
A Research Libraries UK
member
13/04/2022
STUDY CONTEXT
UWS, a Million+
modern university
Four campuses across
Scotland, one in
London.
CONTEXTUAL
CONSTRUCTIONISM
A relativist stance,
seeking to understand
the experiences of
lecturers in relation to
their social and cultural
practices
@PCANN_LIS 2

3. DIGITAL
LITERACY
THROUGH AN
INFORMATION
LITERACY LENS
3

4. A MULTI-PHASE STUDY
PHASE ONE
Rapid review of the
literature
PHASE TWO
ANCIL for lecturers and
scoping digital literacy
frameworks
PHASE THREE
Multi-professional
workshops
PHASE FOUR
Benchmark of lecturer
digital competence
13/04/2022 @PCANN_LIS 4

5. PHASE ONE
What do you think the key themes
were?
13/04/2022 @PCANN_LIS
A RAPID REVIEW OF THE
LITERATURE

6. THEMES FROM THE RAPID
REVIEW
The level of digital
competence in lecturers
is variable across all
population
characteristics
VISITORS AND
RESIDENTS?
TIME, TIME, TIME
Lack of training and
time is a barrier to
developing digital
competence
CONFIDENCE
Digital confidence is a
recurrent issue for
lecturers
PEDAGOGY
Technology use is
determined by the
pedagogical relevance of
the tool
STUDENTS VS
LECTURERS
Students self-assess as
digitally competent,
lecturers do not
@PCANN_LIS 6

7. PHASE TWO

8. 13/04/2022
What digital literacy framework(s) do you use
in your university?
DIGITAL LITERACY
FRAMEWORKS

9. PHASE THREE

10. HARMONISED DIGITAL COMPETENCIES,
DISTILLED THROUGH AN INFORMATION
LITERACY LENS
SCONUL
Seven Pillars
Digital
Literacy
Lens
Jisc
Developing
Digital
Literacies
EC
DigiComp

11. 8/03/20XX PITCH DECK 11
NO AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
WORKSHOP
GROUPS
1
2
3
4
5
A
:
Underpi
n
ni
n
g
c
B
:
Worki
n
g
i
n
a
C
:
Eval
u
ate
the
D
:
Assess
your
E
:
Mappi
n
g
and
F
:
Cri
t
i
c
al
l
y
eval
u
G
:
Identi
f
y
th
H
:
Resource
di
s
c
I
:
Identi
f
y
key
J
:
Devel
o
p
reso
K
:
Identi
f
y
subj
L
:
Identi
f
y
the
M
:
Managi
n
g
i
n
f
N
:
Devel
o
p
i
n
for
O
:
Uti
l
i
s
e
refer
P
:
Devel
o
p
appr
Q
:
Ethi
c
al
di
m
e
R
:
Devel
o
p
an
a
S
:
Compare
di
s
s
T
:
Presenti
n
g
a
U
:
Identi
f
y
publ
i
c
V
:
Identi
f
y
publ
i
c
W
:
Soci
a
l
di
m
ens
X
:
Acti
o
nabl
e
kn
Y
:
Informati
o
n
Z
:
Suppl
e
mentar
AA
:
Not
requi
r
e
1 : B
r ow
si
ng, sear chi
ng and f i
l
t er i
ng i
nf or m at i
on
2 : C
ol
l
abor at i
ng t hr ough di
gi
t al channel
s
3 : C
opyr i
ght and Li
cences
4 : D
evel
opi
ng cont ent
5 : E
ngagi
ng i
n onl
i
ne ci
t i
zenshi
p
6 : E
val
uat i
ng I nf or m at i
on
7 : I dent i
f yi
ng di
gi
t al com pet ence gaps
8 : I dent i
f yi
ng needs and t echnol
ogi
cal r esponses
9 : I nnovat i
ng and cr eat i
vel
y usi
ng t echnol
ogy
1 : I nt egr at i
ng and r e- el
abor at i
ng
11 : I nt er act i
ng t hr ough t echnol
ogi
es
12 : M anagi
ng di
gi
t al i
dent i
t y
13 : Netiquette
1 4 : Pro g ra m m i n g
15 : P
r ot ect i
ng devi
ces
16 : P
r ot ect i
ng heal
t h
17 : P
r ot ect i
ng per sonal dat a
18 : P
r ot ect i
ng t he envi
r onm ent
19 : S
har i
ng i
nf or m at i
on and cont ent
2 : S
ol
vi
ng t echni
cal pr obl
em s
21 : S
t or i
ng and r et r i
evi
ng i
nf or m at i
on
22 : T
he capaci
t y t o adopt and devel
op new pr act i
ces w
i
t h di
gi
t al t echnol
ogy
23 : T
he capaci
t y t o col
l
at e, m anage, access and use di
gi
t al dat a
24 : T
he capaci
t y t o com m uni
cat e ef f ect i
vel
y i
n di
gi
t al m edi
a and spaces
25 : T
he capaci
t y t o cr i
t i
cal
l
y r ecei
ve and r espond t o m essages i
n a r ange of di
gi
t al m edi
a
26 : T
he capaci
t y t o desi
gn and- or cr eat e new di
gi
t al ar t ef act s and m at er i
al
s
27 : T
he capaci
t y t o devel
op and pr oj
ect a posi
t i
ve di
gi
t al i
dent i
t y or i
dent i
t i
es and t o m anage di
gi
t al r eput at i
on
28 : T
he capaci
t y t o f i
nd, eval
uat e, m anage, cur at e, or gani
se and shar e di
gi
t al i
nf or m at i
on.
29 : T
he capaci
t y t o l
ook af t er per sonal heal
t h, saf et y, r el
at i
onshi
ps and w
or k- l
i
f e bal
ance i
n di
gi
t al set t i
ngs
3 : T
he capaci
t y t o par t i
ci
pat e i
n and benef i
t f r om di
gi
t al l
ear ni
ng oppor t uni
t i
es
31 : T
he capaci
t y t o par t i
ci
pat e i
n di
gi
t al t eam s and w
or ki
ng gr oups
32 : T
he capaci
t y t o par t i
ci
pat e i
n, f aci
l
i
t at e and bui
l
d di
gi
t al net w
or ks
33 : T
he capaci
t y t o suppor t and devel
op ot her s i
n di
gi
t al
l
y- r i
ch set t i
ngs
34 : T
he capaci
t y t o use di
gi
t al evi
dence t o sol
ve pr obl
em s and answ
er quest i
ons
35 : T
he use of I C
T
- based devi
ces, appl
i
cat i
ons, sof t w
ar e and ser vi
ces.
36 : T
he use of I C
T
- based t ool
s t o car r y out t asks ef f ect i
vel
y, pr oduct i
vel
y, and w
i
t h at t ent i
on t o qual
i
t y.
37 : A
ccess, r ead and dow
nl
oad di
gi
t al i
nf or m at i
on and dat a
38 : A
ssess di
f f er ent di
gi
t al f or m at s and sel
ect t hose t o m eet cur r ent need
39 : A
ssess how onl
i
ne col
l
abor at i
on can enhance academ i
c pr act i
ce
4 : A
ssess t he qual
i
t y, accur acy, r el
evance, cr edi
bi
l
i
t y, f or m at and accessi
bi
l
i
t y of di
gi
t al m at er i
al
41 : A
ssess t he sui
t abi
l
i
t y of di
gi
t al cont ent f or t he i
nt ended audi
ence
42 : A
ssess w
hi
ch f or m ( s) of di
gi
t al m edi
a best m eet s t he cr i
t er i
a i
dent i
f i
ed
43 : A
ssi
gn m et a- dat a t ags t o cont ent t o enabl
e f ut ur e di
scover abi
l
i
t y
44 : C
i
t e and r ef er ence el
ect r oni
c sour ces appr opr i
at el
y
45 : C
om m uni
cat e ef f ect i
vel
y i
n a di
gi
t al envi
r onm ent , usi
ng appr opr i
at e t ool
s, t o m eet audi
ence needs, t aki
ng account of accessi
bi
l
i
t y i
ssues
46 : C
onf i
dent l
y use t he di
gi
t al m edi
a appr opr i
at e f or pr esent at i
on
47 : C
ont i
nuousl
y assess how t he use of di
gi
t al cont ent and t ool
s coul
d enhance academ i
c pr act i
ce
48 : D
evel
op an onl
i
ne per sonal pr of i
l
e usi
ng appr opr i
at e net w
or ks and t echnol
ogi
es
49 : E
ngage i
n onl
i
ne col
l
abor at i
on and net w
or ki
ng t o access and shar e i
nf or m at i
on
5 : I dent i
f y appr opr i
at e onl
i
ne sear ch t echni
ques
51 : I dent i
f y gaps i
n know
l
edge r el
at i
ng t o di
gi
t al t ool
s or cont ent
52 : I dent i
f y gaps r el
at i
ng t o t he use, appl
i
cat i
on or devel
opm ent of di
gi
t al envi
r onm ent s and t ool
s
53 : I dent i
f y sear ch t ool
s f or l
ocat i
ng qual
i
t y di
gi
t al m at er i
al
54 : M anage di
gi
t al r esour ces ef f ect i
vel
y t aki
ng account of ver si
on cont r ol
, f i
l
e st or age and r ecor d keepi
ng i
ssues
55 : M axi
m i
se di
scover abi
l
i
t y of ow
n di
gi
t al m at er i
al usi
ng i
ndexi
ng st r at egi
es
56 : P
er sonal
i
se t he di
gi
t al envi
r onm ent accor di
ng t o need
57 : R
ead onl
i
ne i
nf or m at i
on cr i
t i
cal
l
y, t aki
ng i
nt o account access r est r i
ct i
ons
58 : R
ecogni
se t he i
m por t ance of ski
l
l
s i
n l
ocat i
ng, cr eat i
ng m anagi
ng and shar i
ng i
nf or m at i
on t hr ough a var i
et y of di
gi
t al f or m s
59 : R
ecogni
se w
her e di
gi
t al sol
ut i
ons can m eet a speci
f i
c i
nf or m at i
on t ask or need
6 : R
em ot el
y access ext er nal di
gi
t al sour ces i
n or der t o ext end oppor t uni
t i
es f or di
scover y
61 : S
el
ect appr opr i
at e publ
i
cat i
on and di
ssem i
nat i
on out l
et s t o shar e i
nf or m at i
on
62 : S
t ay saf e and, i
f necessar y, pr i
vat e i
n t he di
gi
t al w
or l
d
63 : U
se a r ange of di
gi
t al r et r i
eval t ool
s and t echnol
ogy ef f ect i
vel
y
64 : U
se appr opr i
at e t ool
s t o or gani
se di
gi
t al cont ent and dat a ( soci
al bookm ar ki
ng, bi
bl
i
ogr aphi
c sof t w
ar e)
65 : U
se di
f f er ent onl
i
ne com m uni
cat i
on appr oaches t o ext end r each
66 : U
se new t ool
s and t echnol
ogi
es as t hey becom e avai
l
abl
e and eval
uat e t hem f or sui
t abi
l
i
t y

12. A MULTI-PHASE STUDY
PHASE ONE
Rapid review of the
literature
PHASE TWO
ANCIL for lecturers
PHASE THREE
Multi-professional
workshop
PHASE FOUR
Benchmark of lecturer
digital competence
13/04/2022 @PCANN_LIS 12
PHASE FOUR
Lecturer interviews

13. OVERARCHING THEME
LECTURER CONSTRUCTION OF DIGITAL
COMPETENCE IS STILL AT AN EMBRYONIC
STAGE
“Sorry, I'm just thinking... I mean, I don't know.”
(Amal)
“I think, if I was just straight in the door in my first
teaching post, I think that would be probably quite
low down on my list of priorities.” (Jamie)
13/04/2022 @PCANN_LIS 13

14. THEME ONE
THE REASONS FOR GAPS IN LECTURER DIGITAL
COMPETENCE IS MANY AND VARIED
“I think this is just crucial actually. It is to a) know
that you've got gaps and that's maybe a bit that's a
problem probably because you don't know until you
start to think about how am I to use this tool.”
(Ashley)
“…it's become so much clearer that not everyone still,
even today, have the same kind of digital not
capabilities but just the capacity.” (Masami)
14

15. THEME TWO
PEDAGOGY AND ILOS ARE THE CENTRAL
CONSTRUCT FROM WHICH DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY IS ADOPTED AND DIGITAL
COMPETENCE FORMED
“I think what do I really want to communicate and
how do I want to communicate it, and then that
would dictate what type of device that is going to be
suitable.” (Efe)
“So it's that adaptability, that I think we need to get
to […] What am I trying to achieve? What do I want
to try to achieve? What might be the various tools I
might use? Do I know how to use that one?” (Ashley)
15

16. THEME THREE
THE UNIVERSITY DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT
DETERMINES WHETHER TECHNOLOGY
ADOPTION WILL BE SUCCESSFUL
“The appreciation of simplicity is underdeveloped
within those that do not teach but have the power to
devise rules for those who do teach.” (Amal)
“We've got a new system coming into play that has
almost come out of the blue […] and now we've been
told that [new technology] isn't coming along. And I
think it's caused a huge amount of confusion…!”
(Evelyn)
13/04/2022 @PCANN_LIS 16

17. THEME FOUR
LECTURERS REQUIRE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT
TO INCREASE THEIR DIGITAL COMPETENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY UTILISATION
“I probably don't have the time to do lots of different,
like, testing about I just find something and then go,
okay, "that'll do".” (Masami)
“[Universities have not said] right, "If you want to
use […] whatever here's the success criteria.” (Ashley)
“I think that you're meant to know things. If you
don't, it's an absolute harassment […] it's just this
sort of career long learning stuff that can be quite,
sort of, you know, [pause], sometimes it's quite
dispiriting.” (Sam)
17

18. THEME FIVE
PEERS AND STUDENTS ARE CRUCIAL TO THE
ACQUISITION OF NEW KNOWLEDGE
“the team is the method […] to share those sorts of
things [new technologies]”. (Sam)
“[Students say] Have you heard of this thing?" [On
observing students] "How did you do that? Where did
you learn that from?” “…so there's that kinda, you
know, comes from top-down, bottom-up, from across
the way as well.” (Evelyn)
18

19. THEME SIX
DIGITAL AND INFORMATION LITERACY
FRAMEWORKS LACK MEANING AND
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION
“I think it makes them so much harder to understand
if it's not written in proper English” (Amal)
“buzzword”, “meaningless” (Jude)
“[This will] freak me out” (Sam)
“[I feel] frustrated by reading this” (Amal)
“there is something wrong somewhere” (Jude)
13/04/2022 @PCANN_LIS 19

20. MOVING
FORWARD
• Where are we with information and digital literacy?
• How do we use and sell our epistemological knowledge to the wider university
community?
• Do we have the pedagogical knowledge to support lecturers?
• How do we collaborate with our professional service colleagues to influence
the digital environment?
• What support measures can we put in place?
13/04/2022 @PCANN_LIS 20

21. THANK YOU
Paul Cannon
b00297276@studentmail.uws.ac.uk
@pcann_LIS
ORCiD: 0000-0001-8721-1481
Academic supervisors
Dr Glenn Marland
Dr Debbie Waddell
Dr Laura McMillan
13/04/2022 21

22. [1] Photo by lucas law on Unsplash
[2] © University of the West of Scotland. All rights reserved.
[3] Digital capabilities: the six elements ©Jisc and Helen
Beetham. CC BY-NC-ND
[5] Photo by Mario Gogh on Unsplash
[6] Photo by George Pagan III on Unsplash
[7] Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash
[8] Photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash
[9 & 11] © Paul Cannon. All rights reserved.
[13] Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
[14] Photo by Bruno Figueiredo on Unsplash
[15] Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash
[16] Photo by Taylor Vick on Unsplash
[17] Photo by Matthew Waring on Unsplash
[18] Photo by Papaioannou Kostas on Unsplash
[19] Photo by Grant Jacobson on Unsplash
[20] Photo by 愚木混株 cdd20 on Unsplash
[21] Photo by Morvanic Lee on Unsplash
[22] Photo by Ailbhe Flynn on Unsplash
SLIDE NUMBER IN BRACKETS
IMAGE CREDITS