The Science and Technology Committee released its Digital Skills Report in June, which contained a series of alarming figures. Digital skills levels are low, with over 12 million adults lacking even basic computer skills which, against a need for another 745,000 workers with digital skills to fill roles by next year , points to a serious gap between education and business need. So what is the answer? A study by Jisc, the leading provider of digital technology solutions into the education sector, suggests that investing in teacher development is the key to driving digital literacy in the UK.

This June, Jisc released its Student Digital Experience Tracker, the first in depth study into the digital technology experiences of students in an education setting. The aim of the report is to provide institutions across the further and higher education sectors with a comprehensive understanding of the value digitisation brings to students and how they can best support them in applying the technology that is available. Looking at a variety of elements including access to technology, support in using technology to best effect and perceived teaching standards, education providers were given the first ever snapshot of how efforts to digitise classrooms are working.

The same week the Jisc report was release, a government paper was also published which painted a worrying picture of a technologically unskilled population with warnings that current standards could create a risk of damaging the country’s productivity and competitiveness.

The publication of both together was a timely coincidence as the Jisc report – The Student Digital Experience Tracker – has a number of answers to the challenges set out by the government.

Digitisation of the classroom

Taking a user-approach to the research, Jisc surveyed over 10,000 students from HE and FE institutions across the country which revealed some interesting stats and paints a picture of increasing improvements to the ways universities and colleges are managing digital education. Around three quarters of HE and FE students produce work in a digital format which speaks of a strong foundation on which to build. Digitisation of the learning space is also boosting collaboration among students and teachers with 47% in FE and 62% in HE utilising discussion boards and social channels.

The ways in which teachers are interacting with digital technology is one of the most pertinent insights to come from the report. More than 70% of HE and FE respondents believe that when technology is used effectively by teaching staff it enhances their learning experience, directly contributing to developing learners’ digital skills. It is clear then, that teachers hold the key to meeting the ambitious targets set by the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework and the further education learning technology action group (FELTAG) to improve the digital skills level in the UK.

Investment in staff skills

This makes a lot of sense; knowledgeable teachers are pivotal to learner success whatever the subject matter. Continuous development in digital technology is perhaps a more important issue for teachers however, because the landscape changes so rapidly – Shakespeare will still be Shakespeare in 2017 but technology and its impact can change incredibly quickly. Therefore, institutions must ensure they support their teaching staff’s skills development to ensure they can deliver the very best student experience.

Investment in staff capabilities is key, and it’s really important course leaders are allowed the time to explore each new piece of technology so they have more confidence in their own abilities and allow them to apply it better in their teaching environments. It is also really important that educational institutions don’t simply focus on IT staff, as digital tools can be used to enhance the learning experience no matter what the subject
It’s a lifelong learning process – 65% of children entering primary school today will be working in roles that do not yet exist, so it’s important that practitioner skills keep pace with advances in technology throughout their careers. It may sound onerous but it will pay dividends as well-trained teachers lead to well taught students.
Continuous professional development

In response to the challenge of meeting staff continuous professional development in an effective way, Jisc is preparing to launch a new digital capabilities service that will allow teaching staff to identify where they are confident with their digital skills and they can be further developed. The service will also provide personalised pro0gramme of resources to help them enhance their skills – an important tool in helping individuals and institutions shape a strategic response to this issue. With a dedicated service, from a specialist technology provider with decades of experience in the education sector, the outlook for digital skills in the UK is looking bright for the future.