scholarly journals Digital Literacy Skills for Family History Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-110
Author(s):  
Jaci Wilkinson ◽  
Natalie Bond

Objective – In this case study, an archivist and librarian teamed up to teach an introductory course on family history research for adult learners at their university’s lifelong learning centre. In response to students’ relative lack of digital skills, the instructors developed a new set of introductory skills that they believe are essential for genealogy research. Methods – Authors conducted pre- and post-course surveys to determine student expectations and the extent to which the course met those expectations. Authors coded one of these surveys. Results – Course assessment and class activities exposed the need for a set of digital skills that go beyond a literacy framework to assist family history researchers. After analyzing key themes found in pre- and post-course assessment, authors developed a new tool for genealogy instructors titled Introductory Digital Skills and Practices in Genealogy (IDSG). Conclusion – Archivist/librarian collaborations are an excellent way to cultivate needs-based teaching and outreach opportunities in our wider communities, particularly for adult learners. The Introductory Digital Skills and Practices in Genealogy tool is meant to inspire and assist other library professionals who want to teach family history research, serving as a reminder to centre teaching tangible digital skills as a focal point of instruction.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 882-889
Author(s):  
Dani Nur Saputra

One of the competencies that must be possessed in the 21st century is digital literacy skills. This ability must be possessed by every student and lecturer in integrating digital platforms into learning, especially in the current pandemic era. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a digital platform in its application to practical courses. Researchers use google classroom as a sample of the many types of digital platforms. This type of research is descriptive qualitative using a case study approach. The object of this research were 26 active students who took music ensemble courses, while the variable being investigated was the use of google classroom in learning. Data collection was carried out by means of questionnaires, observations, and interviews. The results show that digital platforms can be used as an alternative solution to carry out online learning in the midst of a pandemic. However, it is not optimal for the music ensemble course because of several factors, including the location of the student's residence which is difficult to get a signal, material that students find difficult, the availability of their own musical instruments, and the student's ability to play music.


2013 ◽  
pp. 394-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Hsu ◽  
Zhongxian Wang ◽  
Karin Hamilton

The needs of adult learners are different from those of traditional undergraduate students, and programs must be designed to meet this need. In particular, digital and technology literacy needs, including general computing skills, computerized communications, online and distance learning, and Web 2.0 tools make navigating coursework an additional challenge. In this paper, the authors examine the technology and digital literacy needs and backgrounds of adult learner students and discuss research on the interaction between technology and adult learner education. Using the features of intensive weekend classroom sessions, on-line distance learning, and specialized teaching methods, an improved learning environment tailored to unique needs and career goals can be offered to business undergraduate adults. An important component is the development of technology and digital literacy skills to “fill the gaps” of students who may have extensive business or working experience, but are less than proficient in the use of technology. More depth and analysis is given to the following areas: digital and technology skills and knowledge improvement, pedagogical features, the use of intensive weekend and evening sessions, and the role of distance learning to supplement the classroom sessions.


Author(s):  
Luis Pereira

Based on the assumption digital literacy needs a practical approach and actions, this chapter presents an initiative that intends to develop digital skills in a very creative way. Considering the challenge educators (for instance, teachers or librarians) face to promote digital literacy skills especially to young people in a very engaging way, some training was developed to create a possible answer to that problem. This chapter discusses the impact of that initiative that highlights the potential of humour and parody that we can find on digital media to teach digital literacy. According to some attendants, this approach was creative, engaging and built in their minds alternative paths to explore digital literacy and critical thinking.


Author(s):  
Sylvia Vincent Stavridi ◽  
Dalia Ragaa Hamada

In a high-tech environment where knowledge and information are delivered in a fast paced mode, the role of librarians serving children and young adults is being re-directed from being solely responsible for information and knowledge transfer to teaching and research. The children and young adult libraries at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina have been trying to extend their ways to deliver the services and understand the challenges in integrating various technologies. The chapter locates a series of technology competencies and skills that are currently expected of librarians working with children and young adults. In addition to their non-technical skills, librarians have to be technologically empowered and learn a variety of technical behaviors and acquire the digital skills needed to embrace the constantly changing complexities and advances in digital technology. This chapter upgrades the digital literacy skills in discipline-specific knowledge to support the integration of digital proficiencies as relevant skills for librarians to serve in their new role as teacher librarian.


2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Pun

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize how digital humanities (DH) projects can be integrated into instructional services programs in libraries. The paper draws on three digital projects from the New York Public Library (NYPL) and explores how librarians can creatively utilize these resources to teach new digital literacy skills such as data analysis and data management. For patrons, they can learn about the content of these crowd-sourcing projects as well. By integrating DH projects into library instruction, the possibilities and opportunities to expand and explore new research and teaching areas are timely and relevant. Design/methodology/approach – The approach of this paper is to explore NYPL’s three digital projects and underscore how they can be integrated into instructional services: “What’s On the Menu,” “Direct Me NYC” and “Map Warper” all offer strengths and limitations but they serve as paradigms to explore how digital resources can serve multipurpose use: they are databases, digital repositories and digital libraries but they can also serve as instructional service tools. Findings – The paper conceptualizes how three DH projects can serve as teaching opportunities for instructional services, particularly teaching digital literacy skills. By exploring the content of each digital project, the paper suggests that users can develop traditional information literacy skills but also digital literacy skills. In addition, as crowdsourcing projects, the Library also benefits from this engagement since users are adding transcriptions or rectified maps to the Library’s site. Patrons develop visual literacy skills as well. The paper addresses how librarians can meet the needs of the scholarly community through these new digital resources. While the paper only addresses the possibilities of these integrations, these ideas can be considered and implemented in any library. Practical implications – The paper addresses positive outcomes with these digital resources to be used for library instructional services. Based on these projects, the paper recommends that DH projects can be integrated into such instructions to introduce new content and digital skills if appropriate. Although, there are limitations with these digital resources, it is possible to maximize their usage if they are used in a different and creative way. It is possible for DH projects to be more than just digital projects but to act as a tool of digital literacy instruction. Librarians must play a creative role to address this gap. However, another limitation is that librarians themselves are “new” to these resources and may find it challenging to understand the importance of DH projects in scholarly research. Originality/value – This paper introduces DH projects produced in a public research library and explores how librarians can use these digital projects to teach patrons on how to analyze data, maps and other content to develop digital literacy skills. The paper conceptualizes the significant roles that these DH projects and librarians can play as critical mediators to introducing and fostering digital literacy in the twenty-first century. The paper can serve as an interest to academic and public libraries with large research collections and digital projects. By offering new innovative ideas of integrating DH into instructional services, the paper addresses how DH projects teaching tools can support specific digital skills such as visual literacy and data analysis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-60
Author(s):  
Suzanna Wong ◽  
Linda Laidlaw ◽  
Yina Liu

During the COVID-19 pandemic teachers have been expected to learn new digital literacy skills, often applying them immediately. While professional development structures within school districts and professional associations are organized to offer supports, teachers may be challenged to gain digital skills within existing professional development models. Within our study, teachers explored technologies with the aim of rethinking frames for teaching and learning literacy. Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic they shared their experiences, insights and challenges. In our article, we address implications for digital literacy teaching and learning and the need for new ways of approaching teacher development.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Diane Louise Bell

Academic libraries are currently part of a landscape where there is a rapid growth of digital technologies and electronic resources and they have responded to this by developing their research services. Some of the most specialised and complex research in higher education is conducted by doctoral students and the effective use of digital tools and skills is often crucial to their research workflow and success. The need for digital literacy has been further emphasised during the global pandemic of 2020-21 which has required the maximisation of online working and digital skills to ensure the continuation of education, services and research productivity. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative research study in a UK university exploring factors influencing differences in the digital literacy skills of doctoral students. The literature included has been updated as digital skills and technologies are a constantly changing area of research.   Due the complex nature of doctoral research, it was difficult to draw definite conclusions about the many factors which influence the digital literacy practices of research students. Students interviewed in the study discussed their approaches to and understanding of information, digital and media literacy (Jisc, 2016) but the influence of demographic factors such as age, discipline and gender could not easily be evaluated.  All students in the study appeared to be under time pressure and required a high level of organisation and this was assisted by digital skills and proficiency and access to robust hardware and software. They believed they were largely self-taught and some required appropriate training at the point of need to increase their research productivity. This paper will explore how evidence-based practice and engagement may be used to understand the digital practices of doctoral students and to inform the development of research services within academic libraries. 


Author(s):  
Muriel Wells ◽  
Damien Lyons

In the 21st century young people live and learn in a technological world that is fast paced and in a constant state of change. As technology becomes more and more accessible outside of the classroom, educators are challenged to re-consider the literacy skills required to be successfully literate. Enacting literacy teaching and learning in and for the 21st century requires teachers to update their pedagogical knowledge, skills and contextual understanding of the world children live and learn in. This chapter offers a brief overview of the Australian Curriculum, locating it within a 21st century learning discourse. The authors interpret and analyse one young student's creation of a digital text in a movie modality. Attention is paid to how the case study teacher created meaningful digital literacy learning experiences and opportunities for children to create and interact in social, multimodal textual environments, both within and beyond the school.


Author(s):  
Jennifer Duncan-Howell

<span>Pre-service education students entering university can be categorised broadly into two distinct groups, those who are coming directly from secondary school and those who are not. The second group can be quite diverse, ranging in age, academic and/or work experience. However, what both of these groups share is a </span><em>digital expectation</em><span> and they expect upon completion of their studies to be more digitally fluent than when they entered university, they expect to be taught via a range of digital technologies and they expect to use their digital skills throughout their personal and professional lives. These expectations have been either largely ignored or have failed to be understood by universities, resulting in a mismatch between student expectations and their experiences. However, the teaching staff within universities may be ill-prepared to meet these demands, either due to being non-users or exhibiting the same or lower levels of digital fluency as their students. The mismatch between student expectations and the reality is highlighted by an empirical case study involving undergraduate students enrolled in pre-service education degrees at an Australian university. The study will present clear evidence that students' digital expectancy should be considered when planning and improving learning environments.</span>


Author(s):  
Bahar Doğan Kahtali ◽  
Gülşah Gençer

With some innovations brought by the age of technology and science, storytelling has also gained different dimensions. Digital storytelling has emerged with the addition of elements such as sound, video, image, effect and music to traditional storytelling and sharing these stories on digital media. In this study, it was aimed to determine the views of Turkish teachers about using digital storytelling in Turkish lessons. Case study, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. The participants of the study consisted of 20 Turkish teachers who were determined through easily accessible situation sampling, one of purposeful sampling methods. The “Semi-Structured Interview Form” developed by the researchers was used to determine the teachers’ views on using digital storytelling in their lessons. Teachers’ views were analyzed through content analysis. As a result of the research, it was seen that most of the teachers did not have detailed knowledge about digital storytelling. It was determined that the digital literacy skills of teachers were not at the desired level. Teachers stated that they consider digital storytelling as a suitable teaching tool to be used in Turkish lessons, digital storytelling is an effective learning tool and that can support the development of the four basic language skills, especially listening and writing skills.


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