Trends and Developments in
C&IT Literacy Provision in UK
Higher Education
Karen Barton
&
André Reibig
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Objectives
1. Aspects in Policy and Practice
from a UK-wide Survey
2. Specific Examples from Case
Study Investigations
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Questionnaire Return Rate
57%
60%
50%
HEIs
43%
40%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
All sections
At least 1 section
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None
3
Questionnaire Return Rate - HEI Size
48%
50%
41%
40%
All Sections
29%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Small
Medium
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Large
4
Questionnaire Return Rate - HEI Type
68%
70%
All sections
60%
50%
42%
37%
40%
29%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Pre-1992 Unis
Post-1992 Unis
Monotechnics
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Other HEIs
5
Questionnaire Return Rate –
FT League Table
47%
50%
40%
All Sections
32%
34%
32%
Middle
Bottom
30%
20%
10%
0%
Top
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Not in League
6
Origin of Strategic Response
Others
16%
None
8%
Princ./VP/
PVC
12%
Head of
Comp.
8%
Head of
LT/Lib.
29%
Head of IS
27%
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Strategic Organisation of C&IT
Provision
Mixed
20%
Devolved
41%
Centralised
39%
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Strategic Organisation of C&IT
Provision - HEI Size
57%
50%
Devolved to faculties
Centrally developed
A mixture of both
40%
36% 33%
60%
31%
60%
30%
30%
20%
20%
20%
11%
10%
0%
Small
Medium
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Large
9
Strategic Organisation of C&IT
Provision - HEI Type
77%
80%
70%
62%
60%
Devolved
Centralised
Mixed
50%
50%
40%
30%
38%
38% 38%
24%
18%
24%
20%
10%
14%
13%
5%
0%
Pre-1992 Unis Post-1992 Monotechnics Other HEIs
Unis
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Strategic Organisation of C&IT
Provision FT League Table
80%
Devolved
Centralised
Mixed
71%
70%
60%
49%
50%
40%
41%
38% 38%
35%
29% 29%
30%
25%
24%
16%
20%
6%
10%
0%
Top
Middle
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Bottom
Not in League
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Internal or External Certification
No
62%
Yes
37%
No answer
1%
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Provider of C&IT Course Delivery to
Students
Part of
support
services
11%
None of
these
1%
Course
provided by a
service
department
24%
Stand-alone
course
13%
Part of skills
course
18%
Part of
academic
course
33%
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Provider of C&IT Courses to Staff
Part of
support
services
9%
None of
these
0%
Stand-alone
course
23%
Part of skills
course
7%
Course
provided by
a service
department
52%
Part of
academic
course
9%
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Mode of Course Delivery
Self-taught
paper
1%
Self-taught
on-line
2%
Taught
43%
Any
combination
53%
No answer
1%
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Syllabus
Wordprocessing
E-mail
Login/Network
Internet Basics
Printing
File Management
OP Environment
Spreadsheets
Web/Lib Search Skills
81%
81%
81%
80%
74%
73%
70%
63%
60%
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Effective Doc Design
PowerPoint
Data trans. betw. appl.
Bibl. databases
Eval. on-line content
Using elect. help sys.
Effective use of ICT
Writing a CV
EPR issues
CAL
No answer
53%
52%
52%
47%
43%
43%
39%
34%
33%
26%
5%
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Case Studies
Glasgow Caledonian
University
Oxford University
Cheltenham &
Gloucester College
of Higher Education
Glasgow University
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Stirling University
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Cheltenham & Gloucester College of Higher Education
Programme/Subject Specific C&IT
Training
Generic C&IT Skills Training
Compulsory
Compulsory
Information
Technology
Module (BT101)
Fine Art
(FA211)
Professional Media
Studies (PM217)
PGCE
(Primary)
Information Management
(SF122)
Bachelor of Education (BEd)
Level 2
Learning Development
(SF121)
Computing for
Leisure Tourism
and Hospitality
(HM101)
Voluntary
Using the
Internet for
Learning
(SF126)
Information
Skills for
Independent
learning
(SF206)
Postgraduate
skills support
programme
Staff training
programme
for research
students
MBA
Postgraduate
PGCE
(Secondary)
 = compulsory for defined route
 = Postgraduate Certificate of Education
= Credit towards
degree at C&G
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= Recognised external
certification
Computer Literacy and Information Technology (CLAIT)
Voluntary
= Non-credit bearing. No
recognised award.
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Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Postgraduate
Level 1
= Not compulsory until academic year 2001-2002
= Credit-bearing courses (subject dependent)
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Internal
Certification
External
Certification
= Recognised external certification
Library Resources
Voluntary
Drop-In Clinics
Compulsory
Effective Learning Service
ECDL (not offered yet, library applied to be testing
centre)
Voluntary
(Currently on trial - Will come into effect for fulltime level 1 undergraduates in A/Y 2001-2002).
The programme will be compulsory for all students
by 2003/2004)0
Programme/Subject
Specific C&IT Training
Student ICT Skills Programme
Compulsory
Subject Specific Optional Modules
Information Technology Modules embedded in
specific subjects (Number of C&IT modules is
subject dependent)
Glasgow Caledonian University
Generic C&IT
Skills Training
Non-Credit
Bearing
Library
Induction
= Non-credit bearing. No recognised award.
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University of Oxford
Compulsory Academic
C&IT Skills*
Generic Training
Provided by Colleges
Voluntary Generic Training Provided
by Central Services
Credit Bearing
Non-Credit Bearing
Credit Bearing
Non-Credit Bearing
CONTINUING EDUCATION
UNDERGRADUATE DIPLOMA
IN COMPUTING
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN
CHEMISTRY
Postgraduate and
Research Students Voluntary C&IT induction
COMPUTING ELEMENT OF
POSTGRADUATE
HUMANITIES COURSES
* This is NOT a comprehensive
account of every credit bearing,
compulsory academic courses of
study which has a C&IT element.
It is merely representative of a
broad range of opportunities.
European Computer Driving License (ECDL)
College Computing
Facilities – Compulsory
C&IT induction
= Available throughout duration of programme of study to all students
= Induction at beginning of programme of study
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= Available throughout duration of programme of study to all postgraduate and research
students
University of Stirling
Credit Bearing
Non-Credit Bearing
Subject Specific
Compulsory Courses*
Voluntary
Level 1
Online training guides
Level 3
Level 4
Postgraduate
Library
network
DAICE
training
Student drop-in service
Level 2
Ultimate
Survival
Guide
Student training sessions
Computing
Science I
(3131)
Training on specialist software For disabled
students
IT
Skills
(17L6)
= Department of Computer Science and Mathematics
= Existing students recruited to support specific C&IT skills
training needs
= Information Services
= Combined service providers
= Division of Academic Innovation and Continuing Education
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* Although the credit-bearing courses are subject specific, they are
only compulsory for students who opt to take them.
= Non-compulsory training, advertised as ‘essential’
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Strategic Perspective
• C&G: Generic C&IT skills training for staff
and students. Overall strategic commitment
to use C&IT to enhance development of
learning, teaching & assessment.
• GCU: Graduate employability and vocational
training. Greater use of C&IT based learning
materials and off-campus delivery.
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Strategic Perspective
• Oxford: Committed institutional level
responsibility with college/departmental remit.
Encouragement to add innovation to quality
education rather than introduce C&IT as an
objective in its own right.
• Stirling: Identification and promotion of
cautious use of technology in underpinning
innovative teaching and learning.
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Strategic Perspective
• Glasgow: Commitment to C&IT-rich learning
environment. Involvement of staff in this
environment seen as a complimentary
objective to effective student C&IT
empowerment.
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Emerging Directions
• On-line learning
• Virtual Learning Environments
• Transferable Skills, Personal
Development Planning &
‘Graduateness’
• Benchmarks, Baselines and
Certification
• Continuous adjustment to C&IT syllabus
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