EdTech: Accommodating the learner's digital context
This module looks at an individual's digital context based on personal access to the appropriate technology, their awareness of it, and the digital skills to make use of them.
Aim
This module shows you how to identify and accommodate the learner's digital context.
Objective
After completing this module you will be able to:
- Define digital context
- Describe and discuss its implications for delivering learning
Digital Teaching Professional Framework
This module covers the EdTech component - F1 : Accessibility
- Provide equitable access to appropriate digital technologies and resources, e.g. ensuring that all learners have access to the digital technologies used.
- Select and use digital strategies which respond to the learner's digital context, e.g. contextual constraints to their technology use (e.g. availability, institutional restrictions - offender learning, work based learning), competences, expectations, attitudes, misconceptions and misuses.
- Use digital technologies and strategies, e.g. assistive technologies, designed for learners' in need of special support (e.g. learners with physical or mental constraints; learners with learning disorders).
- Consider and respond to potential accessibility issues when selecting, modifying or creating digital resources and to provide alternative or compensatory tools or approaches for learners with special needs.
- Use design principles for increasing accessibility for the resources and digital environments used in teaching.
- Continuously monitor and reflect on the suitability of the measures implemented to improve accessibility and adapt strategies accordingly.
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Feedback about this module
Average feedback ratings
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We greatly appreciate the time taken to provide us with feedback on each module. We regularly review all the feedback provided and use it to inform the development of new modules. Subject to funds being available and other constraints, we will amend existing modules where feedback shows this is required.Feedback from other members about this module
Good ideas
Really liked this module. It helped me become aware of and understand an issue which I would have ignored.
I already change the format to meet the needs of learners. I make design changes to the original plans to suit the individual needs of learners. This may mean using visuals or recordings over the top of slides. I am still learning about the different Apps and programmes that can be used. I would like to use the break out rooms with the new teaching assistant learners I have been given. I am hoping to use the break out rooms for the functional skills work that I now have to deliver as all the learners i have been allocated have not got the required level of functional skills I think group work will work well to help these student to learn confidently in the current pandemic world. Having two groups will allow me to move the students from maths and English group on the same meeting - if i am am able to plan it out i can use the BKSB assessment's on each of the groups and all the assessment will be done via this. This would be a good use of the two new forms of digital working that suits these students. The VLE is something i would like to explore and the manager of HAC wants us to create resources that are assignments on One file - Having thought about this this is very similar to the way in which Teams sets up but the One file has already worked out all the analytics and made it visual - this has to be developed in the teams app and as the College group is fragments across curriculum and the Apprentiship I am not sure that we have the joined up thinking and lead to make this work effectively yet. It is ok to share the ideas for technology but unfortunately the range of access is not even across the students or indeed the staff access to programmes that could help us to develop so it is not helpful to share ideas as it makes the disparity more obvious and creates a barrier as the staff get frustrated and the students that do not have access need to be focussed on to keep them up to speed.
I don't like it. There is WAY too much content on each page. Very Confusing to use.
A good, helpful tool.
How to get the best usage of technology.
Helpful, the extra star is for the resources suggested. Really useful.
A good module to help focus on the need to consider each learner's digital context when designing delivery ahead of our long awaited improvements to the VLE (functionality and access). Thinking about what planning will be necessary to make the most of what the learners can achieve when able to access the new VLE - gaining an initial understanding of their computer literacy. It was also helpful in recognising my need to make time to become familiar with the new offering, learning to become proficient in guiding learners on how to use the in-built tools that can support them.
Feels a little repetative but I liked the testing your knowledge quizzes.
Nice bite-sized introduction to the challenges faced by learners in using digital technologies to support learning.
Thank you
thought provoking
Good
It was a good idea that the teacher paired him with those comfortable using tech and those who were engaged in its use I don't think I would have approached the way she did. So that has given me some ideas.
good
a good module
Food for thought!
This module was very informative in understanding the digital context and the barriers that could get in the way of learning.
It is extremely useful to consider an individual's digital context based on personal access to the appropriate technology. In many instances we do not consider their awareness of it, and the digital skills required to make use of them.
The learners background and access to technology away from the classroom is always an issue in Job Clubs, particularly with new learners. Whilst access can be gained at the libraries where the sessions take place, learners need to be confident that they will be able to use the technology effectively and this can form the first few sessions of attendance at the job club.
Very useful module.
great thanks
Clear
Enjoyed this
A lot of content simply put
Great ideas and suggestions within the module
This is a really useful concept for me to explaore as I face barriers in this area.
This was very interesting with different points to consider.
Useful
using vle for resources is so much more accessible for students and they really seem happy using it
This was helpful in making me think about adapting resources
This module really made me think about some of the wider issues of accessibility and digital competence
reasonable good advice to help with barriers.
I found the elements of context a useful framing tool for considering resource and activity co-design and provision.
Really useful information
Really useful to identify a personal action plan.
Not sure is the answers should say, offender learning or offer learning.
Good video showing how some of our adult learners may not have the technological skills and awareness as Generation Z.
My name is Anne, I work in Further Education teaching life skills and life skills to groups of young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities all of which have an Educational Health Care Plan.
One student has cerebral palsy; she is a permanent wheelchair user with very limited use of either hand. She can operate a large keyboard and mouse although this for her, is a very slow and frustrating process.
I discussed ways around her being able to cope with the work and I explored digital accessibility. We used the read aloud and speech to text facility on the Word program, which in reflection the reader was a little robotic and the speech to text would only work correctly if her speech was really clear, but she managed and worked through her frustrations. The more often she used the speech to text facility the better it got, almost as if the program recognised her voice.
I am now exploring other accessibility programs which are more accessible for students with speech impediment which hopefully the college may be interested in purchasing for future use with other disabled students.
Good module
Easy to follow
Easy to use and makes you think.
An interesting look at reasons why learners may encounter barriers to engagement.
easy to understand
I found this one really useful.
Lot's to work on and lots to think about.
Another great session, I liked that we could reflect and set an action plan
Good overview of the issues. Might be useful to also prompt people to look at structural issues and ask appropriate questions of management - eg digital vision, digital investments, digital inductions etc.
The module helps me to reflect on the design choices I can make - as an educator, to meet the challenging digital contexts of my learners.
Very helpful - action planning activity was very useful for considering next steps.
The suggestions around ways to integrate tech, or discuss ways to use tech in relation to learners' digital context, gave me a good base to reflect on how I could put this into practice.
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