Digital literacy and skills

How is your digital literacy for teaching? A new BSMS resource to help you

Tim Vincent Digital literacy and skills, TEL tools and technologies
Teacher Helping Students Working At Computers In Classroom
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There is a strong need for BSMS teaching staff to develop and maintain their digital literacies if we are to be a “medical school of the 21st century” with a focus on “the development of technology-enhanced learning” and “excellence in education” (BSMS Strategic Plan 2015-2020). As a Department of Medical Education, we seek to support you, our educators, in your digital understanding so you can make informed choices in your teaching practice.

We have devised a comprehensive list on this site to help our teaching staff assess their own knowledge and skills, and provide links to resources so that you can fill in the gaps. It is based on a framework from the University of Brighton and national guidelines. It covers the basics of digital literacies across four broad sections:

  1. Teaching and Learning
  2. Communication and Collaboration
  3. Administration
  4. Research and Information Management

The list is here: Digital literacies checklist for teaching at BSMS.

Have a go – see how many you know!

If you would like any further training on any areas, contact Tim Vincent (t.r.vincent@bsms.ac.uk or 01273 644501)

TAKE FIVE – online bitesize courses from University of Sussex TEL team

Jil Fairclough Digital literacy and skills, Training and development opportunities, Workshops and seminars

  • Digital Productivity – 12-16 June
  • Blogs – 19-23 June
  • LinkedIn – 26-20 June
  • Podcasting and Screencasting – 3-7 July

Take 5 online bitesize courses offer staff at the University of Sussex the opportunity to gain an insight into four interesting learning technology topics. The short self-study courses aim to provide you with an introduction to these topics, highlighting the ways in which they can be useful in a teaching and learning context and in day to day life.

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Knowing what you need to know – Supporting your digital literacy in teaching

Tim Vincent Digital literacy and skills, TEL tools and technologies, Training and development opportunities
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/pictures/180000/velka/technik-hintergrund.jpg

There is a national drive in Higher Education to support the digital literacy of teachers and students to ensure that we are maximising the resources available to us to function in today’s increasingly digital society.  Given the dizzying pace of technological output, it is a relief that the goal of digital literacies isn’t about having to know about everything and be using all the latest gadgets and gizmos (an impossible task even for Learning Technologists like me!).

Instead, it is about being aware of the full spectrum of areas in which digital technologies can have an impact. It is ensuring an understanding of the basic principles of how the most relevant tools can be used to support teaching, learning, administration, and research. It is equipping ourselves with the knowledge in which to make critical appraisal of technologies to make an informed choice for their inclusion in our practice, along with our existing knowledge and skills. It is more about why to use technology rather than how to. However, it can still feel like there is a lot to keep up with!

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