This good practice guide was developed by Deniese Cox, founder of TeachingOnline.com.au for vocational education and workplace training providers.
Containing 10 guidelines, it “has been developed to inform the selection and implementation of systems to support learners for whom digital skills are a barrier to vocational education and workplace training.”
The first of the guidelines focuses on knowing what stage of digital skills you are seeking to identify or address with your students and ensuring the resources you select and implement align with those target skills. The three stages in this process are ‘accessing’ education using basic digital skills, ‘engaging’ with their learning through the use of more sophisticated digital skills and finally ‘advancing’ through their selected program using even more advanced digital skills effectively.
The second guideline is concerned with screening all enrolling students to identify at-risk learners who can then be supported through a second stage of targeted testing. Finally, those results will inform what upskilling interventions are needed, and thus enable providers to create a digital learning plan for that learner.
Thirdly, it’s important to have flexible and targeted testing and needs driven upskilling. As the guidelines note: “using a one-size-fits-all model to upskill learners is not ideal.”
Fourth, it’s about access: “Providers should consider how learners will receive access to, or be expected to engage with, digital skill screening, testing, and upskilling resources.” The developers of this guide “found that it is important not to inadvertently embed a digital skills barrier for the learners who need to access and benefit from those resources.”
The fifth guideline states that, it’s also about the level of language skills required: the digital skills tools and resources “should use straightforward language, and not expect learners to be strong readers or have advanced language skills.”
Sixth, positive communication is required: they found “that learners appreciated clear messaging that digital skills screening and testing is designed to enhance their learning journey by making it an easier, better experience.”
Seventh: the language also needs to be supportive. It’s suggested that one “look[s] for tools that present test results to learners in a positive way” because “making test results available to learners using supportive language is vital.”
Number eight: It’s important to think about implementation, it’s suggested. Addressing the lack of digital skills within normal classes is time consuming and for many VET educators outside their current expertise and skill set. It can also affect the delivery of mainstream content and have an adverse effect on those learners for whom digital literacy is not an issue. One way round this is to use ‘digital learning hubs’ to provide support for educators and learners alike needing digital support. Indeed,
“Providing those learners [needing it] with specialised support before, not concurrently with, their target learning program was found to be a critical success factor for their longer-term successful engagement with, and completion of, the target program.”
Mapping is valuable too. Their ninth guideline, therefore, is:
“to identify what is relevant in your context. First, consider skills that are common across your learners, such as navigating the enrolment process, then consider skills that are specific to the qualification at hand. This will include applying pre-existing digital skills, or having the proficiency to learn a new digital skill that is embedded in the curriculum.”
Finally, number ten: being aware of the commercial considerations. As the guide suggests:
“When selecting and engaging with digital skills resource providers, normal commercial considerations should be observed. Key elements to also consider might include:
- licencing arrangements, setup costs, and ongoing costs
- training and support
- inclusion of both testing and upskilling resources
- the option for both digital and paper-based resources
- the availability and formats of complementary teaching resources
- proven, established resources developed by experts.”
