Information and digital literacy in education via the digital path

The recent Sewell report on Race and Ethnic Disparities in the UK warns against “negative“ demands to decolonise the curriculum, but the authors of the report seem to have a somewhat narrow conception of what this actually involves.

“Banning white authors’ is mentioned alongside “token expressions of Black achievement”, while a proposal for a new “inclusive” curriculum – one which firmly places the UK at the heart of everything – is presented instead.

Confused? You’re not alone. From the title of the report (“The Report”) right through to the rousing call for “British optimism and fairness” in the closing paragraph, this document is packed full of ambiguities, hidden agendas, omissions and wilful misinterpretations.

Today, Research England publishes three documents to help institutions prepare for the consultation later this month on the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF).

One of those documents summarises the 106 responses to the December 2017 call for evidence, about what data is relevant to knowledge exchange and how it should be used appropriately. In particular, it looks at how institutions can be compared in a “fair and meaningful” way. The majority of responses are read as having a “cautiously positive tone, essentially this could be useful if done well”.

Of all of the aspects of the student experience currently under scrutiny, you’d maybe think that academic textbooks were uncontroversial and their efficacy clearly understood. You’d think that the academic benefits of textbooks would be incontestable, and that both students and staff were clear on how textbooks are used to support learning. You’d be wrong.

The government's HE White Paper 'Success as a Knowledge Economy' is being published today. We'll be rounding up all the best analysis and commentary as details emerge throughout the day.

First year students at UK universities will be imminently beginning some kind of an on-campus experience this year. It will be unlike anything they, or staff working in HEI,s have ever experienced.

Many anticipate that we may have only a month or so to help them bed in before a second wave causes furthers local or national lockdowns, so it’s imperative we get this first engagement right. I propose there are five areas we have to work on immediately to help freshers feel they have become part of our learning communities, before reversion to online learning becomes highly likely. If all of us Cassandras are wrong (and we must hope so!), this is still good practice for welcoming students whose 2020 pre-HE learning experiences are likely to have been grim.

In the six years since I became the chief executive of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) I’ve seen how technology is used across all sectors of education and in all parts of the UK.

Representing thousands of professionals from senior managers to academics and technologists – from hundreds of institutions, education providers, technology companies, and sector organisations – gives me a unique perspective. This year the trustees of the association have invited me to share that perspective and my vision for what the future of learning technology holds for us at our 25th annual conference.

As the HE Bill heads to the House of Lords, Jonathan Woodhead of Birkbeck makes the case for Peers bringing part-time education to the forefront of the debate.