Blacquiere-Clarkson from the University of Leeds talk about how they have adapted the Jisc Digital Capability framework for the apprentices at their university.

1. University of Leeds
Richard de Blacquiere-Clarkson

2. INTEGRATING A DIGITAL
LITERACY FRAMEWORK INTO
OUR DEGREE
APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAMMES
RICHARD DE BLACQUIÈRE-CLARKSON
BLENDED LEARNING PROJECT COORDINATOR
LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

3. CURRENT SITUATION AT UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
• First apprenticeship course 2017-18, in the Lifelong Learning Centre.
• 5 apprenticeship courses across University of Leeds in 2018-19.
• Digital Literacy Framework integrated into L6 Chartered Management
apprenticeship due to begin in January 2019.
• Working on integration into L5 Nursing Associates.

4. QUICK AUDIENCE SURVEY
• Please go to web.meetoo.io
• Enter meeting id 107-947-497
• Answer each question as it appears on your screen

5. WHY CREATE A FRAMEWORK?
• Support the systematic development of 21st Century digital skills which
are valuable in the workplace
• Use with staff and students
• Allow self and tutor/mentor assessment
• Provide a clear progression route throughout programmes
• Co-create with stakeholders to improve the end product and maximise
buy-in

6. ADOPTING AND ADAPTING EXISTING WORK
Our desirables:
• Strong research and evidence base
• Commensurability across sector (tower of Babel problem)
• Subject neutral
• Embedded progression route
• Clear, accessible language

8. METHODS OF INTEGRATION AND CELEBRATING
SUCCESS
Key considerations
• Is the programme being created from scratch or existing
materials?
• How to make it a positive process – celebrating successes (of
existing work) or empowering tutors (from scratch)?
• How explicit is the framework going to be – to teaching staff, to
workplace mentors and to students?

9. METHODS OF INTEGRATION AND CELEBRATING
SUCCESS
Our approach
• Chartered Management L6 apprenticeship based loosely on existing part-
time course, linked to students’ work in business roles.
• For each course component (cf. module) tutors assess which elements of
the framework are covered by planned activities & content.
• Visually map out each element of the framework.
• Celebrate how much is already covered (hopefully!)
• Identify and address gaps

10. DEATH BY SPREADSHEET Letters and
numbers are
shorthand for
elements and
descriptors in the
framework.
Green indicates
where elements
have been added
after gaps were
identified.

11. REINFORCING DIGITAL LITERACY IN THE 20%
AND BEYOND
• Blended learning approach to curriculum design is essential for
apprenticeships:
• Majority of application of digital literacy skills will be outside contact
time with institution.
• Flexibility, regular opportunities and regular feedback all required.
• Little and often especially important for block delivery models.
• Better to front-load necessary skills then reinforce, or introduce slowly?

12. OUR NEXT STEPS
• Curriculum design workshops using the ABC methodology to
design components/learning blocks.
• Bespoke training for individuals/small groups on specific tech
tools.

13. CREATING/ADOPTING A DIGITAL
LITERACY FRAMEWORK
POTENTIAL BENEFITS POTENTIAL BARRIERS

14. INTEGRATING A
DIGITAL
LITERACY
FRAMEWORK
INTO AN
APPRENTICESHI
P COURSE

15. DEVELOPING
AND
REINFORCIN
G DIGITAL
LITERACY
SKILLS

16. EVALUATING IMPACT
• ???
• Still working on identifying a really robust methodology.
• The usual bases covered – focus groups and questionnaires, for
staff and students.
• Much more difficult if the framework isn’t explicitly used with
students.

17. CONTACT
Richard de Blacquiere-Clarkson
r.clarkson1@leeds.ac.uk
@richdebc